The Never Ending Road
by FantasyBard
Summary: Life is a never-ending road, and it is what we do with the time given to us that makes the most difference. A revisiting of the Sorcerer's Apprentice, but with a slight twist that proves love really is the most powerful magic of all.
1. Prologue

This is an idea which has been banging around in my head for awhile. And I haven't really seen another story like it in this genre, so I thought that I would give it a try and see how people react. First, let me say that I love the Sorcerer's Apprentice. I thought that it was an amazing movie and that all of the actors were awesome. I also loved the fact that almost the entire reason that Balthazar looks so long for the Prime Merlinean just so he has the chance to free Veronica is a great story. Waiting 1300 years for one woman who if the love of his life appealed to my hopeless romantic side. But then, again, 1300 years is also a long time to be alone. My whole inspiration for this story kind of stemmed from one question: What if Balthazar hadn't had to wait all that time? What if he hadn't been alone on his journey, but always had someone there to help him along the way? I think part of the great thing about fan fiction is that it gives fans a chance to explore those what-if questions. So, this is my humble offering to the "what-if" tradition of fan fiction and Sorcerer's Apprentice in particular. I hope that you like it.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Sorcerer's Apprentice, be it the movie, the orchestral piece or the poem which started it all. The movie belongs to Jerry Bruckheimer and Disney. I am making this for my own entertainment and am making absolutely no money or profit whatsoever.

Story is rated T for scenes of fantasy violence, some language, and for some scenes of a romantic nature.

Prologue:

_Britain-740 AD_

The war between sorcerers was fought in the shadows of history, and for centuries, the greatest of them was the just and powerful Merlin. It was with him that the fate of mankind would rest, for he stood between them and the forces of evil.

Merlin had three apprentices to whom he trusted all of his secrets. They were called Balthazar, Veronica and Horvath. It would have been better if he had trusted only two. For Hrovath, driven jealousy and anger by his frustrated love for Veronica turned against all he had ever known, and joined forces with Morgana le Fey, Merlin's most deadly enemy.

It was thanks to Hrovath's betrayal that Morgana was able to deliver a fatal stroke to Merlin and managed to gain one of sorcery's most dangerous spells, known as The Rising, which would give Morgana the power to raise an army of the dead and enslave mankind.

However, there were those who still remained loyal to Merlin's teachings. That night, riding through the darkness towards Merlin's stronghold, Balthazar and Veronica raced against time to warn their master of Hrovath's betrayal, and they hoped, to prevent disaster.

As they approached the great castle, their hearts sank when they saw the angry orange glow and the black smoke rising from the place which had been the only home they could remember clearly. As they rode into the courtyard, the light from their torches revealed the aftermath of sorcery beyond evil. The bodies of Merlin's men had been stabbed through with sharp ice, or had been splayed open while they were still alive, their faces twisted in horrible masks of agony. With the carnage all around them and the heat of the fire on their skin, they felt that they were looking at a reflection of hell.

"This is Morgana's work." Said Veronica, once they had found their voices, "The shield into the castle was broken."

"Horvath," growled Balthazar, his blue eyes burning with anger, "Only one of Merlin's apprentices would know how to break through the defensive shields which surround the castle."

Veronica's eyes flashed momentarily with sorrow. She was still struggling with the fact that Hrovath, the one who she had loved as a brother had betrayed them because she had loved Balthazar first. But, that did not diminish the worry that she felt for their other allies, the only allies that they now had left. "What about Rowena? When will she and her followers arrive?"

"She said she would try to hurry them, but you know they may not be able to do much. Fire is the greatest danger to their kind, and not even beings as powerful as they are could hope to survive an encounter with Morgana. We're on our own."

They cleared their minds of everything else, trying to block out the destruction that they were seeing. They knew what had to be done. They needed to stop Hrovath and help Merlin. Defeat was not an option. As they passed through the corridors of the castle, they passed more evidence of Morgana's work: walls scorched black with fire and smoke, more mutilated bodies, and the oppressive feeling of Morgana's dark magic that seemed to permeate every corner of the castle.

They knew where Merlin would be, the main training hall, the great circular room at the center of the castle. It was where they had trained as apprentices so long ago, and where the Merlin Circle was. Some considered it to be the strongest point of Merlin's power. Their last hope of being able to prevent the tragedy was destroyed when they came to doors which led to the training hall, only to find them thrown to one side and the magic protecting it broken. They now knew that they could only expect the worst.

Entering into the chamber when they had once trained together, they now saw only destruction. They caught a fleeting glimpse of Hrovath disappearing through a window, but they had no time to worry about him. For their attention was immediately drawn to Morgana le Fey. Forebodingly magnificent, frightening and hypnotic, Morgana was the sinister mirror of Merlin. As potent in the dark arts as he was in the light, Morgana captured the eye of every person that she came across. She had power to awe and terrify all in the same instant. The sheer evil in her soul was enough to make even Veronica and Balthazar blanch away from her.

Morgana snapped around when she heard the door to the room being blasted away. An evil smile spread across her face and her black eyes were dancing wickedly. "Ah, Balthazar, Veronica, Merlin's last two champions." She said, with evident delight, "I was wondering when you would show up, I was hoping to take all of you on together. But I shall simply have to settle with the two of you. Though you will be far easier than your Master. I will kill you, as easily as I killed him."

Though they had almost been expecting it, this admission from someone no less than Morgana was a blow. Balthazar felt his control break for a single second. Enraged, he charged Morgana. But the sorceress anticipated him. She had conjured a plasma bolt in her hand and threw it at him before he could even think to react. It knocked him half way across the room, and he smashed into the hard stone floor. He was completely dazed, defenseless against Morgana's onslaught.

Morgana would have killed Balthazar in that moment, had it not been for the bravery of Veronica. Knowing that it was the only way to defeat Morgana and save the life of the man that she loved, she attempted a spell known as Fusion, an act of drawing the soul of one person into the body of another.

It was a very difficult spell, and very dangerous. Veronica was very powerful, and she almost succeeded. But not even she could have foreseen how truly powerful Morgana was. She could not have anticipated the soul searing agony which spread through her body as Morgana's soul struggled to escape. Veronica tried to fight back, but in the end, Morgana was too strong to be contained by her. With a deafening shriek, Morgana broke free from the confines of Veronica's body. Morgana's eyes were blazing with dark fury. Now, she had lost all trace of mocking humor. All she wanted ws revenge.

Veronica's strength had been drained by the fight with Morgana, and she had no way of defending herself. Morgana began to turn the blood within Veronica's veins into fire, killing her slowly from the inside out, her face twisted into an enjoyment which was almost beyond that of human nature. "You pitiful Merlinian," she taunted, "It must feel terrible to have come so close, only to find that you have no power to stop the inevitable. You will die, in pain, with the knowledge that you have failed and that you are alone."

"She's not alone." Balthazar's voice suddenly came from behind Morgana. She had quite forgotten about him in her struggle with Veronica, both inside and out. It turned out that while Veronica had not succeeded in containing Morgana within herself, she had managed to buy Balthazar enough time to recover and to give him the chance to see what needed to be done. No sooner had he spoken then Veronica felt the heat in her veins begin to subside. She forced her eyes to open, and saw that Balthazar was drawing Morgana into the Grimhold.

It was only the work of a few seconds to eliminate the threat of Morgana. The Grimhold was an inescapable prison, and could only be opened from the outside. Morgana, for the moment, was defeated.

Once Morgana had disappeared into the Grimhold, Balthazar rushed over to Veronica, who was trying to raise herself to her knees. "Veronica." He said, desperately, taking her gently by the shoulders and supporting her, "Veronica, Firefly, what were you doing? I almost lost you."

Veronica pulled herself closer to Balthazar. "I was only trying to protect you, Balthazar."

Balthazar took her face in his hands, and kissed her softly, as if needing to assure himself that she was actually there. "The next time you think about saving me." He admonished her gently, "Please check with me before you do anything that extreme."

Veronica was too exhausted to make her usual quip of a reply. Instead she merely smiled. "You should know by now, Balthazar, that very rarely do I feel I need to check with you about anything." Then her eyes filled with concern. "Are you all right? Morgana almost killed you as well."

"Yes, I think I should be all right. And you?"

"I don't think there was any permanent damage."

They were both trying to put a brave face on their injuries, but for the time being, any notion of rest would have to wait. Right now, they had to find Merlin. Morgana had said that she had killed him. But they had to see for themselves, and say one final farewell.

They did find him, lying in the center of his great Circle. He had only a little life in his and what there was would soon be gone. The two apprentices knelt on either side of him. Veronica was weeping, and Balthazar felt an emptiness and pain inside which he had never experienced. Merlin had been the closest thing that either of them had ever had to a true father. Morgana's murder of him hurt worse than any magic she could have inflicted.

Merlin, however, was serene in the face of death. He had lied a very long time, but he had always known that he was mortal and would one day die. However, he still had some very important information to pass onto his two apprentices. Though Morgana may have been inside the Grimhold, as he told the two of them, that didn't mean that the threat of her was destroyed permanently. Morgana would always have followers who would seek to release her, and if they did so, mankind was doomed if she preformed The Rising.

As he lay dying, Merlin would pass his dragon ring onto Veronica and Balthazar, saying that it would lead them to the child who would one day become his successor, the Prime Merlinian, the only one who would be able to kill Morgana.

"As long as Morgana exists, there will always be a danger to mankind." He told his two apprentices, "A single accident could undo everything that we have striven for in these centuries." He looked at them both, and his next words were almost as full of apology as they were pleading. "Forgive me for asking this last task upon you. It was not the end I think that any of us were wanting. But, you must promise me that you will find the Prime Merlinean, the fate of the world could very well rest on it."

Veronica and Balthazar both looked at each other. They both knew what giving that promise meant. It meant very well the end of any hope for a normal life for themselves beyond magic. For Veronica especially, it was a hard choice to make. She had always wanted a family; a family with Balthazar, something that she could say had been created outside of magic. Veronica had never been able to come to terms with the idea of having a child while Morgana was still alive. Now, that day seemed farther off than ever.

However, for Veronica and Balthazar, there really could be no other answer. They could not simply step aside; they could not retreat to safety while there was yet a battle to be fought. Merlin had taught them never to back down or give up. And so, Veronica said, "I promise you, Merlin. We will find him, and we won't stop looking until we do."

"And we'll protect the Grimhold from any who might try to release Morgana." Said Balthazar.

It seemed as if a great weight slipped off of Merlin's shoulders when he heard these words. He did not say much, for Merlin had never been one to use flowery language. Instead, he took one hand to each apprentice and said, "The last piece of advice I can give you, and the one you must heed above everything else I have taught you: no matter what happens, no matter what you encounter on your journey, you are not alone. You must rely upon each other. You are each other's strength, and neither of you are as strong as when you are together. I have often seen the bond between you, and it is one of the strongest I have ever seen between two sorcerers. That will be your great strength against any threat, for Morganians have no weapon powerful enough to ever break what you have with each other. Of all power, love is the strongest. So enjoy what you have discovered with each other, for none of us know how much time we will have with the people who are truly important."

They were Merlin's last words, but they would stay with his apprentices for centuries. And never had any of Merlin's words been more true. For Veronica and Balthazar would search across the world for the Prime Merlinean. Along the way, they came to do battle with several Morganians, who always sought to free Morgana from the Grimhold. Those that they defeated, they did. But for those who were especially dangerous, they locked them away in the Grimhold, trapping them in lair upon lair of the doll. Eventually, they would capture Hrovath as well.

It was by no means an easy or safe road upon which they traveled. But with each other, just as Merlin had said, they were able to achieve more than they would have alone. And never will Balthazar or Veronica falter in their quest, for mankind will never be free until mankind in destroyed by the Prime Merlinean.

* * *

So, there you have it. I am hope that this take of Veronica actually surviving the fight with Morgana captures peoples' interest. Please drop me a review, because I love to hear what people think. I don't mind constructive criticism. But, please, no flaming for my ideas or opinions. They will be deleted from memory.

I look forward to hearing what people think. Hopefully, the next chapter should be up soon.


	2. Hellfire

Hellfire:

The sorcerer Merlin met a very cruel end, and one that was shadowed by dark irony. Merlin had once been the most powerful and well known sorcerer in existence. His notoriety had been second only to King Arthur of Camelot. However, the golden age of Camelot had long been a thing of the past, the reality obscured by legends, and perhaps only Merlin knew what was truth and what was not.

But even in the time that he had trained his apprentices, he had been a well-known and respected man, a leader that everyone looked up to. Sorcerers from across the world had learned from his teachings, whether through their Incantuses, or from the lips of the man himself.

He had deserved a better end than one overshadowed by the betrayal of one of his apprentices and then murdered by his greatest enemy. He should have at least received a better memorial than what Veronica and Balthazar had time to give him. They only had time to lay their Master in the center of the great circle where he had trained them, and placed wards around his body that would prevent any sorcerer in the future from disturbing his resting place. Merlin had lived through many things, he deserved to rest in peace.

For Veronica and Balthazar, they were now in a precarious situation. The fire which had been slowly devouring the castle was now coming closer to their position. They had to get out before they were trapped by the great slabs of stone. In the event that they could actually survive, they would have to face the question of where to go. They had been beaten into a corner by Morgana's forces, and while they had hurried to Merlin's aid, they had heard reports that those who followed Morgana were swooping down upon Merlinean strongholds across the country. That had been the reason why Morgana had been able to get to Merlin so easily. Merlin had sent all available sorcerers to the hardest hit areas, leaving himself open to siege. They could count on no help from their colleagues, who were either pinned down or had been killed. They were on their own.

They managed to help each other out of the castle, but it was only with difficulty. The conflict with Morgana had drained them both, and they were both in a weakened state. If they ran into any Morganians, than the chance was very good that they would come on the losing side of the struggle. Unfortunately, that wouldn't be the case. It would have been almost better had Veronica and Balthazar had been confronted with a nameless Morganian sorcerer to stop their escape. Instead, they saw one who they not only knew, but had once counted as one of their own.

Horvath, it seemed, was just as surprised to see them as they were to see him. But, a few moments later, the dark look in his eyes returned, and he started at his two former friends and allies. "I would have thought that Morgana had taken care of you." said Horvath, making no attempt to hide his disappointment. "Don't tell me you actually managed to defeat her."

"Not quite." Said Balthazar, bitingly, and he stepped in front of Veronica protectively, "But the spell you stole from Merlin won't be doing you any good."

"Don't be so sure, Balthazar. I can't imagine how you managed to give Morgana the slip, but once she catches up with me, nothing you do will be able to do will stop her."

"Horvath, you've obviously forgotten the Grimhold." The certainty in Horvath's expression wilted ever so slightly. "Merlin gave it to me for safe keeping. I trapped Morgana inside it."

Horvath's eyes flashed. He drew his sword. "If you want to live, Balthazar, You will be handing the Grimhold to me."

"If I give it to you, I'll die anyway. So, now, I don't think so." Said Balthazar.

Horvath advanced and began his attack. In the burning remnants of the castle courtyard, the two former friends tried to battle out the differences which had made them such bitter enemies. Under ordinary circumstances, the two of them had been equals, but Horvath didn't have to factor in that he had been the victim of a powerfully evil sorceress. Balthazar was weak and injured. His magic was severely depleted. Thus, it only took a few minutes for Balthazar's steps to slow and his blows to lose some of their force. Horvath noticed this, and immediately began to press his advantage. It didn't take long for him to knock the sword from Balthazar's hand. At that point, it was an easy matter to push him back to the ground using his magic, and he made it so that the landing itself was not gentle.

"That was all too easy." Said Horvath as he approached Balthazar's prone form. "I suppose your reputation of being the greatest of Merlin's apprentices is undeserved Balthazar." The blue stone on his sword hilt began glowing and Balthazar cried out in pain as the bone in his left arm broke with an audible crack, crushed by Horvath's magic. "Where is all your power now?" Another bone cracked in Balthazar's leg, and another cry followed. Horvath's face showed just how much he was enjoying it. "Merlin's dead, more Merlineans will follow him. You'll be alone Balthazar, and maybe you're finally understand what that means and what it can drive a man, too. Give me the Grimhold."

"He doesn't have it." Veronica stepped forward, placing herself in between Horvath and Balthazar. Her sword was drawn, and yet, she couldn't bring herself to attack Horvath at once. Something stayed her hand. The compassion which Merlin had always said was one of her greatest assets told her that she couldn't face Horvath without trying to reach him one last time.

She knew that Horvath had committed an unforgiveable act, but she still couldn't forget the man who had once been her brother, the boy who had been her first friend when she had come to the castle. She just didn't want to think that he was gone forever. "Maxim, I have the Grimhold. Don't hurt Balthazar anymore, please." The sound of his first name, spoken by her voice caused Horvath to pause. "Maxim, don't do this, please. This isn't who you are, Maxim. Morgana can't have killed all that was good in you. Come back, Maxim, come back to us."

Veronica's plea was heartfelt and truly genuine. For a brief second, a light shone in his eyes. The darkness seemed to fade and there was almost a longing in them, a longing for simpler times when the three of them had been joined by an uncommonly strong and special friendship, which had been able to withstand even Morgana's power. But, that moment did not last long. Horvath could not forget his love for Veronica, nor could he forget that she had chosen Balthazar over him. Now, he could still see the depth of that love in her eyes. She may have wanted to redeem him, but she also wanted to protect Balthazar more than anything else.

For Horvath, that was not enough.

The darkness returned, stronger then it had been before. "I'm sorry, Veronica." And it almost seemed like he was. "But, it's too late." His gaze shifted from her to Balthazar, tenderness having been replaced by loathing and hatred. "It's been too late for a long time."

Veronica barely had time to block his swing. Horvath may not have been trying to hurt her, but he was trying to force her aside so that he could deal with Balthazar. He had always been the strongest fighter of them all, and he was now putting all of his weight behind his swings, which Veronica, tired as she was, could not hope to block for long.

But, at the very moment when Veronica's strength would have given out, Horvath suddenly and inexplicably paused. His attention had been drawn by something he had seen behind her, a shadow against the dancing flames that some might have dismissed as a mere trick of their eyesight. But, Horvath knew better than that, because he had seen it many times before. However, he had never expected to see it here. "It can't be." He breathed, in shock and surprise.

He had not addressed his statement to anyone in particular, but from out of the smoke, a voice answered him. "After what you have taken from me, Horvath, did you actually think that you had seen the last time?" the shadow which had appeared in front of Horvath, now came from him, having circled around him in less time than should have been possible.

From out the roiling smoke, stepped the form of a woman. Despite herself, Veronica allowed herself a moment of relief. Rowena had made it after all. She was of Veronica's height, her hair a pale, golden color. She was not breathtaking, and in fact, some might have said that she was rather plain looking. But, in that moment, she would have attracted quite a lot of attention, for her eyes, normally bright green, were frosted over in a menacing silver, and there was a feeling of danger which seemed to flow around her and out of her. The two things combined would have been enough to arouse the suspicions of anyone that there was something strange about this woman. And those suspicions would have been correct, for she was not human.

Even in the dark ages of mankind, the myth of beings that preyed on the blood of humans was well known. Legends told of these creatures that could charm any innocent passerby with a look or a word, only to slaughter them the next moment. Many believed those stories at this time, and all the stories had driven vampires into the darkness as bloodthirsty, evil monsters that killed blindly and indiscriminately, giving no thought to human life. But all the stories had fallen far short of the truth. Vampires did indeed require the blood of humans in order to survive. But it was only those who choose to not control their baser instincts that became dangerous.

Vampires could live peacefully with humans. Many did, and had for centuries. The key was that they were not insatiable. They could satisfy their hunger without killing humans, and there were many humans who allowed vampires to feed from them willingly. Vampires were also not controlled by the phases of the moon, though they preferred coming out at night. They wouldn't burst into flame or sparkle in the light of day, but the sun could weaken them to the point of death.

Vampires, though faster, stronger and possessed of keener senses than humans, were not as invulnerable as the legends had made them out to be. Wooden stakes through the heart caused paralysis of the body which made it impossible to move, and silver was a poison. But the only certain way to kill a vampire was through fire or decapitation. Their existence had to be kept a secret, for the humans would always be more numerous, and they could easily rise against them.

There were some, though, who knew the secret. Merlin and his three apprentices had been a few of them. And Rowena and her deceased husband Lars, had been some of Merlin's greatest friends and allies. But those days were over. Lars had been murdered by Horvath less then three weeks before, and so Rowena obviously had no pleasure about seeing him, and had no compunction about using force if she had to.

"I suppose a part of you had hoped that I was swept up in the massacres of my kind which have been taking place all across this island?" She questioned, her voice sounding more like the hiss of an angry cobra. And just like a cobra whose fangs only appear when the creature is threatened and ready to strike, Rowena's fangs also could be seen glinting sharply in the fire's light.

"I confess a part of me had hoped." Said Horvath, as he turned to face her, "I see that you brought some friends with you." He was right; at least fifteen vampires were circling around him and Rowena, though practically invisible because the vampires moved at one with the shadows cast by the flickering flames. "But I suppose that I shall have to take care of you here."

Rowena scoffed. "Try it, Horvath, and see how soon you can keep living. Even for a great sorcerer such as yourself, you wouldn't stand a chance against the numbers I have at my command."

"Whoever said that I would actually engage any of you in combat? Unlucky I might be, but a fool I am not. If I remember rightly, Rowena, your peoples' greatest threat is the one element you cannot survive."

Horvath pointed his sword hilt at the now crumbling structure of the main castle. The blue jewel began to glow and a bolt of white hot flame shot through the night air, burying itself in the stone. Both Rowena and Veronica saw what was about to happen. The fire had destroyed the last of the pillars which had been keeping that wall of the castle from destruction. A cascade of burning rocks and shale tumbled free from the castle, right above a group of ten other vampires. The sorceress and the vampires could see that Horvath's bolt of flame had also surrounded the doomed group. They would be crushed by the flame and rocks of the ruined structure.

Their responses were both on instinct and almost immediate. Rowena momentarily forgot about Horvath and moved to help the trapped vampires, but Veronica could see that there was nothing that Rowena could do. If Rowena tried to help those who were in danger, she would be killed herself. She rushed forward, her own magic circling around the remaining group of survivors in a shield to protect them from the flames and flying rock.

She arrived just in time to stop Rowena. "Rowena, no." she cried, "There is nothing you can do. It's too late."

Before Rowena could respond, the wall at last gave way, and great chunks of rock fell downward crushing the vampires with startling swiftness. Screams echoed through the night for several heartrending seconds, and then went chillingly silent, as the vampires were turned to ash in the flames.

Rowena, though she may have known that there was indeed nothing that she could have done to save them now, yet reacted with momentary rage. Vampires were extremely loyal to each other, unlike what so many stories would have said. When those that they had counted as friends were murdered by foul means, then their reaction could be violent. Most vampires were peaceful, but it would have been foolish for anyone to take that to mean that they were safe. A vampire was capable of killing brutally with relatively little effort. And for those who were unfortunate enough to invoke the wrath of a vampire had very little time to live.

Rowena was normally in control of her emotions, but like all others of her race, she was dangerous when her temper was roused. A cold growl ripped from her throat, and she spun wildly around, looking for Horvath in any of the shadows of the courtyard. But, Horvath had taken advantage of the distraction he had created and had vanished, seemingly in the blink of an eye. It was perhaps fortunate that he had done so. If Rowena had found him, she would have ripped his throat out, quite literally.

But Veronica could see that they had no more time. Even with her shield protecting them from the worst of the falling debris, she knew that it couldn't hold forever. The flames were shooting higher, and what remained of the castle structure would give way in only a few minutes. Smoke was beginning to create a thick blanket around the courtyard, and already some of the ragged band of survivors had started to cough violently.

It was a risk to even approach a vampire in full blood lust, but Veronica trusted Rowena not to hurt her. Putting a firm hand on her shoulder, she said, "Rowena, we have to leave, now. He's gone. And if we die here, then he will have won. Is that what you want?"

Rowena stared at her, struggling to listen to the logic of Veronica's words, and repress her predatory instincts. At last, her fangs vanished and her eyes resumed their normally green color. She ordered two of her remaining followers to pick up Balthazar's now unconscious body and they began to make their way out of the courtyard.

They managed to make it to safety on a small hill over the keep. It was not a moment to soon. Behind them, the castle of Merlin at last submitted to the hellfire which had been engulfing it all night.

Veronica had to pause once and look back. The memories associated with the castle, which had been her home for as long as she could remember, were to powerful for her. It was almost as though she relived them all again in that moment. She could not keep the tears from stinging her eyes. How had it all come to this? When had the world become so uncertain and dark?

Rowena came up to stand beside her. Rowena was over a century older than Veronica and, being a vampire, she was attuned to the feelings of humans. She could sense the turmoil raging off of Veronica. It made her sad that her friend had to face such a test. She and Balthazar had deserved so much more. "Merlin is…" She ventured to ask.

Veronica nodded, a few tear working their way down her face. "He's gone." She managed to choke out.

Rowena closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "First Lars and now Merlin. These are dark times, indeed. I can't ask you what your course is, Veronica. But, neither you nor Balthazar are in any condition to travel far. Stay under my protection until you regain strength. You won't be found if you stay with me."

Veronica managed a great smile. "Thank you, my friend." She then went over to Balthazar. He had been set down by the two vampires who had carried him thus far. Se knelt down beside him and checked him over, quickly. Rowena knelt beside him. "Will he be all right?"

"Yes," said Veronica, as she used what little left of her power she had to heal Balthazar's broken bones. "But, he will need to rest and he shouldn't be disturbed. If you have any who are newly-turned with you, make sure they don't come near him."

Rowena nodded. Veronica looked as though she had been through hell and back, and Balthazar didn't look much better. Perhaps this night had been the closest to hell either of them had experienced.

As Veronica rose to her feet, Rowena took her just a moment to look over Balthazar herself. She fully trusted Veronica healing abilities, but perhaps there was something her vampire senses could pick up on. Her sensitive hearing picked up Balthazar's heartbeat, and she caught sight of a dull glimmer coming from the pouch at Balthazar's waist. She reached inside and pulled out a beautiful necklace, hand-crafted with silver chain and gems. She looked at it for a moment than stole a glance at Veronica. She smiled when she began to understand what the necklace was intended to be. No doubt Balthazar would want to give it to her himself. She quickly replaced the necklace. Perhaps, there might be some good in this to hope for in this, after all.

* * *

Now before you start flaming me about this plot twist, I have added, please allow me to fully explain. 1) First of all, the vampires in this story at _not_ those created by Stephanie Meyer. I don't really hate Twilight, but I don't think it's particularly amazing either. The thing that sort of makes me upset is that it gets so much attention. I mean, Stephanie Meyer did not invent the genre of vampires, and there are plenty of other vampire stories which I think are better written and more imaginative. 2) That being said, I have to say that the vampires in this story are not my own. They were inspired by a TV show called Moonlight which ran for one season on CBS in 2007. I would highly recommend it. I love it, and I'm not normally all that into vampires. The acting is way better than Twilight, and the story is also better. 3) Lastly, I wanted to try something different for this story. I mean, it's an AU anyway, but I didn't want to just do the movie straight through with Veronica. I wanted to give it just a little bit of something extra. Plus, it's a fantasy, so I wanted to include a few characters that weren't human, and since you never see vampires except as the bad guys or angst ridden when they are good, I thought that it might be an interesting experiment.

So, that's why I did it. I hope that makes some sense. But please, don't flame me if you don't like it. Just don't say anything, and I will get the message. By the way, I did say that I wanted to do something other than just do the movie. Well, I am going to do a lot of the scenes from the movie, just because I like them, but there will also be a lot of new characters and mythology that I will be exploring about the modern day sorcerers in New York, so look for them in the next few chapters. Until then, please read and review.

Next chapter: The darkness in the world seems to be lengthening. But in the aftermath, there is always hope. A proposal and a promise will make the never-ending road of the future perhaps a bit more bearable.


	3. A Journey Begins

A Journey Begins:

Balthazar would never be able to say when exactly he became aware of something other than the blackness. He had snatches of memory, somewhere between reality and dream. Images of his life as a child under Merlin's tutelage, training with Horvath and Veronica. The missions which they had accomplished together. These were tinged with melancholy, as though that innocent and golden time was one that could never be recovered, and they ended all too soon.

He saw the events that had led up to that horrible night when Merlin had died and Horvath's betrayal had been revealed to them. The memories of Morgana were ugly and they seemed to stab into him with shards of glass which he couldn't fight against. Such was the wickedness of Morgana that she could haunt even in dreams. Balthazar felt his mind clouded by the shadows of her black magic. He couldn't remember what had happened. Could Morgana have killed him? Were the faint memories of locking her in the Grimhold nothing more than tricks? And Veronica, what about Veronica? All memories of her seemed to have ceased, and try as he might he could find her nowhere. The sibilant hissing of Morgana's voice in his mind told him that he was too late. He had failed everyone he had held dear, Veronica, Merlin, he had failed them all.

No! It couldn't be true. He wouldn't allow Morgana to taunt him with his greatest fears, she couldn't be right, it couldn't be true. He knew that somehow he had to escape from this nightmare, to find his way back to the light, but no matter where he turned, there didn't seem to be any place he could turn too.

"Balthazar."

The call seemed distant to his ears and for a few seconds, he wasn't aware of it. But he couldn't ignore it when he recognized the voice, even if he wasn't sure what it was saying. He made his ways towards the voice, though it felt like he couldn't hope to run fast enough. And then, just when he felt he was about to give up hope.

"Balthazar!"

Balthazar's eyes flew open and he sat bold up right. That turned out to be a bad idea when he felt a stabbing pain in his side. But then two firm, but gentle hands on his shoulders were steadying him and lessening his pain.

"Balthazar."

Balthazar heard the voice now sounding close to his ears. He forced himself to focus directly in front of him, and saw the raven hair, the dark, brown eyes and the pale skin. It was her; she was in front of him, alive. The nightmare had not been reality. "Veronica!" he breathed, fighting against the weariness in his limbs and brought his arms around her.

It had been a nightmare, or at least some, some of it. He could now remember more clearly what had happened that night, and he could remember that Merlin was dead. But at the moment, all that mattered was that Veronica had survived, and that she was there right now, with him

Veronica seemed to understand. "Balthazar, it's all right, I'm here."

She couldn't have said anything more welcome to him. He looked around at their surroundings. They appeared to be in a cave, and he could see the sun beginning to set through the mouth, and a little ways off, thick woodland. "Where are we?" he asked, "What happened?"

"Rowena managed to come to our aid with her followers. Horvath managed to escape. They've tried to find him, but it seems like he's disappeared."

"I suppose it would be to much to hope that it would be for good." Said Balthazar.

"He's lying low," Said Veronica, "along with nearly every other sorcerer in Britain."

Balthazar saw the sadness in Veronica's face and heard the catch in her voice. "Veronica, what happened?"

Veronica hesitated, hating to tell him the news. But she knew that he would soon be finding out, either way. "We've heard reports from survivors. Apparently, Morgana's attack against Merlin was part of a well-organized coup to take over the entire country. The Merlineans and Morganians fought so hard against each other, that they ended up destroying each other. There are not many of us left, Balthazar."

The pain of her words also affected Balthazar. The conflict between good and evil in was as old as mankind's history. But this was by far the worst disaster to have befallen sorcerers since the ancient times. Merlin was dead, Morgana had been rendered useless. Neither side now had a strong leader, only chaos would follow. "How many of them survived?"

"It's hard to say." Said Veronica, "We've heard everything from merely dozens to hundreds. It's thought at this point that there might be more apprentices then there are masters to take them on. What magic users remain have gone to ground until they can regroup their forces. It will be awhile before either side can strike a decisive blow."

"And the reports of Morgana?"

"The most reports we have heard say that she died with Merlin in the keep." Said Veronica, "I don't think it will be long for the truth to reach the Incantuses though."

"And that's where the real trouble will start." Said Balthazar, "Which leads us to the next question, which we can't very well avoid."

They both turned their gaze to the side, where Veronica had hidden the Grimhold and Merlin's Dragon Ring from prying eyes. They were reminded of their promise: to protect the Grimhold and to find the Prime Merlinean. They were connected. They both had to protect the Grimhold in order to find the Prime Merlinean, and they couldn't find the Prime Merlinean without the Grimhold being kept away from hostile Morganians. They knew what their purpose was, but that didn't make the prospect of fulfilling it any easier.

"Would you hate me if I told you a part of me almost wishes we hasn't made that promise to Merlin?" said Balthazar, after a meaningful pause.

"If I were to hate you for that, Balthazar, then I would have to hate myself for the same reason. I sometimes wish that we could forget about magic, and all the dangers we've endured, just go off the two of us somewhere and start a family, be normal." She closed her eyes and Balthazar put an arm around her and pulled her close to him.

"You wouldn't have to do this, you." He said.

She looked up at him. "And leave you to carry this burden all on your own? No. I don't think so. You heard Merlin, Balthazar: we are strongest together and so together is how we will stay. Besides, who else could I have a normal life with, except with you? Being normal and alone would not be a life."

"I just wanted you to know that you had the option." Said Balthazar, "But, I'm glad you don't want it. I'm a very selfish man, Veronica. All this destruction and death, all the lives lost, all I can think about it how grateful I am that you're with me right now." He drew her a little apart from him, so he could look into her face, drink in her beauty: her raven black hair which framed the pale skin and dark eyes, eyes that sparked and flickered with an inner light which shone brightest even in the darkest moments. Veronica never gave up; she was always his light in the darkness. That was the reason behind the name he had given her when they had been fighting all these long together, Firefly.

Balthazar suddenly knew that this was the perfect time to ask her. "Firefly, I need to ask you something?"

"What?"

"Well, seeing as how we're going on this journey together, I might as well make an honest woman out of you."

Veronica laughed a little. "Balthazar, what are you talking about?"

Her laughter quickly died when she saw what Balthazar withdrew from his pouch. She would have recognized that necklace anywhere. "That day at the marketplace, you remember?" said Balthazar, almost shyly.

Veronica nodded wordlessly, tears of joy starting to sting her eyes. "Veronica, I can't give you a normal life, I can't even promise you security. All I have is myself. Would that be enough for you? Would it be enough to marry me?"

Veronica nodded and hugged him tightly. "Balthazar, yes, of course. It would be more than enough. The dreams I have don't really matter. I give them to you now, along with my heart. Just let me be with you wherever this takes us."

Balthazar returned the embrace, seeing his heart swell with an odd kind of joy. Merlin had always said that they were servants to a greater good, and that magic did not define a man. Now at last, he understood all of what that meant. "I love you, Veronica, so much."

"I love you, as well, Balthazar."

They faced each other, and Balthazar put the necklace on her, Veronica moving her hair back as he did so. It was as beautiful as he hoped it would be on her, but it was nothing compared to the look in her eyes. Tenderly stroking one cheek with his hand, he brought his lips down to meet hers, in a gentle, affirming kiss, which she returned with all her heart.

In that moment, despite the tragedy which had brought them here, the world was perfect. The future now seemed bearable, because neither of them would have to face it alone.

Their tender moment was brought to an end when they both suddenly sensed that someone was approaching. They both tensed, ready to call upon their magic if they needed. It only turned out to be Rowena. The twilight had come outside the cave, which meant that Rowena and her followers would be active. "So, you are finally awake." She said, as she came into the cave and sat down beside them. "I'm glad to see that. Veronica has hardly left your side for these two days."

Balthazar looked at Veronica, "I was unconscious for two days?"

"Two and a half, to be perfectly accurate." Said Rowena, "I insisted that Veronica rest herself for awhile once we brought you to safety. According to her, you should both be ready to travel by tomorrow. Don't look so surprised, Balthazar. I don't know exactly what happened at the castle, but I do know that you wouldn't be staying around here. I assume that Veronica told you that there is almost nothing left."

Balthazar nodded, the pain in his eyes obvious. "Any castles or keeps that our allies might have had would have been destroyed in the battles. The only good thing is that the Morganians seem to have scattered as well. It will take both sides awhile to fully muster their strength."

"I fear that the disaster has not only been visited upon the Merlineans." Said Rowena, "I have been receiving reports from the vampires who have found us. Apparently, the Morganians are revealing our presence to people across the land. Entire towns have risen up against their vampire inhabitants. Homes are searched, people questioned and threatened, and anyone who is suspected of being a vampire is staked and burned. Apparently they are even drawing innocent human life into the bloodshed. Vampires are either running for cover or fighting for their lives."

"Horvath must have told them about the alliance that Merlin made with your husband." Said Balthazar, referring to the event that had occurred 150 years before, when Merlin and the head vampire in the island of Britain had made an alliance that put an end to centuries of bloodshed between vampires and sorcerers. "He knows that by destroying that base of support, he's left us even more isolated."

"And even those who know of the treaty are not abiding by it." Said Rowena, "Panic has risen to such a fever pitch that those vampires who know where to find sorcerers, are hunting them down. In blind fear, everyone is turning on everyone else, thus giving our enemies more strength." She shook her head, "I fear that we are on the verge of a dark age in Britain. I don't want to speculate on the hardships that will come in the future."

"Are you in any danger by sheltering us?" said Veronica, "You're a prominent vampire in this community; if word of this leaks out, your life could be in jeopardy."

"I have never allowed a thought of my life to interfere with what I know is right." Said Rowena, "You are my friends, and you have come to my aid more than once. It was only right that I try to do the same for you. That being said, for your own safety, I've had to keep you away from the others. Some of them are restive, especially the younger ones. They are only thinking of death and the hunt. I can give you protection for a few days more, beyond that, I cannot vouch for it. It has taken all of my authority the past two days to keep some of the younger ones from finding this care and killing both of you."

"Once Balthazar can travel, we will be leaving." Said Veronica, "And not because of you. We have our own journey to undertake."

Rowena looked at them both. "This wouldn't happen to have anything to do with that doll which you have been hiding away? Don't think I didn't notice it. It would be hard for you to do so. It reeks of dark magic."

"It contains what we want to keep trapped the most," said Balthazar, "but it's also something that Horvath desires to release more than anything."

"Then I know it has something to do with Morgana. There have been no sightings of her since the fall of Merlin's castle. I had heard that she was dead, but I could not bring myself to hope that she would be disposed of so easily. Either way, I don't want to know. This is a secret which I feel only sorcerers should be privy too."

"It's not just that which we need to journey for." Said Veronica, "Merlin entrusted us with a mission before he died, and we need to undertake it."

"Would I be right in assuming that it's not a simple one?" said Rowena. Their faces said all that she needed to know. "Very well. My people and I can get you horses and food. It's not enough I know, but it will at least give you a start."

"Thank you, Rowena." said Veronica.

"There is one other thing that you could do for us." Said Balthazar.

"What is it?" asked Rowena.

"Veronica and I would like to get married." Said Balthazar, "We will need a witness, of course, someone who we could both trust. Would you do it?"

Rowena seemed a bit surprised, though whether it was from the offer itself or that the two sorcerers had just suddenly made the choice to get married in the aftermath of losing their Master, not even she could tell. But she did not have any hesitation for her answer. She had known for many years that the two had been in love. It reminded of her own past that was long ago. With the death of Lars, that past was now lost to her forever. If she could help Balthazar and Veronica enjoy even half of what she and her husband had shared, she would do it.

"I would be honored."

* * *

It was an odd ceremony to say the least. The place in which the marriage was held was a plain, small wooden church that they were able to find in the next village. The priest was perhaps a bit befuddled by the request of the strange couple who asked to be married on such short notice and with only one witness. That the witness was a member of another race and not even human would have made it even more extraordinary perhaps, had the priest been aware of that little detail.

Despite the oddities surrounding them, the priest was one of those rare people who were not overly interested in the business of others. Plus, he had a good heart, and could plainly see that the man and the woman were very much in love. Therefore, to prevent them from falling into sin, he duly joined them as man and wife. Rowena stood calmly by, her eyes shining with pride as she watched Balthazar and Veronica exchanging their vows. They looked so happy and so much in love, despite the circumstances which had led them to this point. If for nothing else she had been brought into their lives then this, this was enough. (Though it would become a common myth in centuries to come, the old story that vampires are repelled by holy water and icons never had any truth to it even at this time in history. Rowena was quite calm in the presence of the crucifix and did not so much as bat an eye during the ceremony.)

For Balthazar and Veronica, finally getting the chance to marry was the fulfillment of their fondest wishes. They had been prevented so many times that they had wondred if they would ever get the proper chance. Balthazar himself had always been reluctant to make the commitment until he had been able to give Veronica everything that she wanted, and Veronica herself had known that any chance of them raising a family was out of the question as long as they were fighting Morgana. But the day in the market place when Balthazar had seen the longing in Veronica's eyes as she looked at the necklace had changed everything. They had both come to understand that even if their lives were extended because of the spell that Merlin had cast on them, life was still a fragile thing. In the end, no matter how long it might be, it is not life at all if one has nothing to live for. Now, when they said the words which would bind them to each other as man and wife, they understood what Merlin had said: that they were strongest together, and that their task would be easier to bear if they could face it with each other.

When twilight came, they had already left the little village, and the priest would no doubt soon forget them in the bustle and activity of everyday life. A few miles outside of the village, they stopped at the edge of the forest where Rowena's people were regrouping and taking refuge from groups of human hunters. Here, they would be parting ways, until they met again.

"I fully expect you to take care of each other." Said Rowena, "You have a long road ahead of you."

"And we don't know how it will end." said Veronica, "Merlin cast a spell on us to prevent us from aging, so I don't think he intended that the search would be short and simple."

"Unfortunately, he also did the same thing to Horvath, when he thought that he could be trusted." Said Balthazar, "And now that Morgana is gone, he is the prime leader of the Morganians. I don't think that we have seen the last of him."

"You sorcerers." Said Rowena, "Nothing, it seems, can ever be straight forward or simple. Something always has to be in the mix which makes it even more complicated."

"And is your task any easier." Asked Veronica, "You have the prospect of untold life ahead of you, your people are being hunted, and you have to face the death of you husband on top of all that. That does not sound like an easy road to me, and I don't envy you for having to travel it."

Rowena managed a sad smile. "You have got me there, I can make no answer. I suppose we both have our burdens to bear. However, the one thing that I do envy you both, at least you do not have to face your difficulties alone. I don't have that anymore."

Both Veronica and Balthazar knew that Rowena was valiantly hiding her grief of her husband's death. Her position did not give her that luxury. Lars had turned Rowena himself, so the bond between them had been especially strong. Rowena was strong; she had proved that time and time again in the many long years which they had known each other. She would overcome this, but they suspected that the pain would never fully heal.

"If it's any consolation," said Balthazar, "I don't think that this is the last time that we will be seeing each other."

"I do not doubt it." Said Rowena, "That is something for me to look forward too. I want you both to know that you have been the closest human friends that I could ask for. I wish you nothing but the best. Should you ever come across any of my kind who count me as an ally, mention my name to them and they will treat you likewise."

"And if we don't happen to run into a vampire who is friendly to you?" Balthazar asked.

"Well, only make sure that you mention it to my friends." Said Rowena, "Here, though, we must go our separate ways."

Veronica was the closest to Rowena of all of Merlin's apprentices. She stepped forward and hugged Rowena tightly. Unused to such free contact with a human, it took Rowena a few seconds to feel fully comfortable about the embrace, but she did return it, however uncertainly. "Goodbye, Rowena." Said Veronica, as she released her, "Good luck."

"The same to you, my friend." She looked at Balthazar next, "Farewell, Balthazar. I don't know how you will find what you seek, but I hope that you will find it when the time is right."

"Thank you, Rowena." Said Balthazar, "I hope that we will have an opportunity to repay you for what you have done for Veronica and I."

Rowena looked first to one and then the other, before she turned and went into the woods. She melted away amongst the trees, leaving not a trace behind her. In a few seconds, Balthazar and Veronica were alone, as if they had been so all along.

Balthazar turned to his wife. "Are you ready?" he asked her.

Veronica smiled, and kissed him softly on the cheek. "Yes, I am. Let's get started."

With these words, Veronica and Balthazar mounted their horses and began their joinery into the never-ending road of the future.

* * *

I had to bring in the necklace somehow, since that was such an important and touching part of Balthazar and Veronica's whole love story. I hope that everyone who is reading this is liking it, despite the fact that it's somewhat a different take. But that's part of the reason why I read fan fiction: I like to see the twists and turns that writers take with well-known stories. Please read and review.

Next chapter: We go ahead into the future, namely: the year 2000. After 1300 years of searching, an act of coincidence or fate, will bring a young boy names David Stutlar to a shop called the Arcana Cabana in New York. The events that play out will change his life and the lives of many other people forever.


	4. Paper Chase

So, we now move into the future and the main events of the movie, plus more than a few twists, turns and new characters. Thanks for going along for the ride.

Paper Chase:

_New York-2000_

It was field trip day at school. The class of Mrs. Algar was heading out to Ellis Island, a typical school field trip that every child in New York takes at least once every year, which wasn't saying much for creativity.

David Stutlar, known as Dave to pretty much everyone who knew him, was not looking to be especially entertained that day. He already could predict what his teacher would say. He was trying to find alternative sources of entertainment. He had happened to notice that the route which the bus was taking would bring them right past the Empire State Building, and he had started scribbling on the bus window with a permanent marker.

He was drawing a picture of three airplanes and a comically angry gorilla. Though he was technically not supposed to be drawing on the windows of the bus, a fact which a boy in the seat in front of him felt obligated to point out, he kept on doing it. If he had done it right, then at just the right moment, the picture lined up with the Empire State Building, recreating the famous scene from King Kong.

A girl with blond hair and blue eyes looked over at this, and saw what Dave had been trying to do. The picture-illusion had not been meant for anyone's benefit but his own, but she had noticed it. "Dave, that's cool."

Dave looked around at the voice and saw Becky Barnes smiling at him. He grinned back, a little shyly, but said nothing. Inwardly, he felt his heart hammering away in his chest with excitement. Dave had had a crush on Becky ever since the beginning of the school year. She was a new girl in the school, having just moved to New York with her mother from Maine. Had Dave been older he might have been able to find out that Becky was growing up a single parent household, and that the whereabouts of her father were something that her mother did not like to be discussed. However, being a child of only ten years old, he did not know of such things. The important thing for him at that stage in life was that Becky was a very pretty girl, but one who he couldn't work up the gumption to talk too. In fact, up until that moment, he had been pretty sure that he was invisible when it came to Becky. But maybe, since she was actually acknowledging his existence now…

About half an hour later, the class was sitting and listening to Mrs. Algar lecture on the history of Ellis Island, all except Dave, who was to busy writing something on a piece of paper to pay any attention to what she was saying.

Once he had finished his little note, he folded it hastily and told the person next to him to pass it to Becky. The note went down the line, until it reached Becky at the end of the line. Curious, she opened the note. Scrawled in a black permanent marker was the message. _"I want to be Dave's friend/girlfriend."_ With a check box beside the last two words. Becky leaned over and saw that Dave was grinning at her in a bashful, but hopeful manner. She smiled back, and proceeded to check the box of her answer.

Mrs. Algar was finished with her lecture, and the class gathered their book bags and lunches together and got up to follow her. Becky put the note down on the steps beside her. Dave, seeing this, sneaked over to the note, his heart pounding with anticipation, but just as he was about to make a grab for, a sudden gust of wind came from nowhere and blew the note away.

Without thinking, Dave began to dash off after the note, completely ignoring the fact that one of the boys from the class was calling at him to come back. He raced after the note, first as it became stuck to the wheel of a bike, then to the paw of a dog, and finally blown down a back alley by that pesky wind, still Dave followed.

He came out of the alley, into a street that was littered with papers. He slowed his pace and looked around him. The street was eerily quiet, with nothing but the wind and rustling papers to break the silence.

He felt a shiver skate down his spine. For no reason that he would have been able to say, this place gave him the creeps. It was almost as if something were hanging in the air, an unseen power which held everything in place. It was as threatening as storm about to break, but it's subtlety was such that Dave wondered subconsciously if anyone else but him would have even able to sense it.

But, he still kept going forward, for even if he could sense that threatening power and it frightened him, he somehow sensed that he was not the one being threatened. He continued scanning the streets for the note. At last, he spotted it on the door of a building across the street. He hurried forward, resolving to get the note and get out of here. But just as he was about to snatch it, it disappeared once more through the mail slot.

Dave huffed in frustration, before he took a close look at the place he was standing in front of. On the window next to the door it had been written in big letters: _Arcana Cabana, est. 1888. Proprietors Balthazar and Veronica Blake. Antiquities, obscurities, unique gifts. By appointment only._

Well, Dave didn't have an appointment, but he needed to have that note. Perhaps, it the shop was open, he could just sneak in quietly and get the note without anyone noticing. Tentatively, he pushed at the door and was surprised when it opened without a sound. Perhaps, something would go right for him today, after all. So, Dave Stutlar walked into the Arcana Cabaña, not at all suspecting what was awaiting him on the other side.

* * *

For 112 years, Balthazar and Veronica had been operating the Arcana Cabaña in New York. Wandering around the world had become, for them, no longer a practical or very welcome option. They had both felt a need to settle down and have a base somewhere. New York was the obvious place. It was big enough that two sorcerers such as themselves could easily blend into the background. It had also been a place of strong Merlinean magic almost since the beginning of the United States. There were also enough eccentrics in the city who were stranger then themselves to make their shop fairly profitable.

Stuff tended to accumulate after 1300 years, so, they had a fairly large number of artifacts from their travels all over the world that appealed to a broad base of costumers. Most of them were fairly harmless things that had some sort of magical connection to the past. Most people who bought from them had no idea that they were doing so from two actual real live sorcerers. And those who were looking for something a bit more magical and knew how to use them, could find most anything they needed at the Arcana Cabana.

Of course, sometimes the amount of objects that they had acquired meant that spring cleaning became something of a necessacity rather than an option. For the last few weeks, they had been doing just that. It was an ideal time to do so. They had no immediate orders or appointments and could conduct the clean-up in relative peace. However, an unexpected event had set them back a few days.

The two of them had received a call from the Elise Ventra, a member of the New York Circle of Merlineans. She said that she had needed their expertise, and specifically that of Veronica is a matter that concerned her daughter.

"I thought that Miranda had no magical talent." Said Balthazar, as she had been preparing to leave, "Roger and Elise tested her until she was ten years old, but they never saw any magic in her. Neither did we, for that matter. What has changed now?"

"Elise said that nothing has changed, only that gifts Miranda has had all of her life are starting to become stronger in ways that are not normal, well, for one who is supposedly a non-magic user."

"What did she say?"

"She wouldn't give me much over the phone. But she did say something about her connection to animals."

"Instinctual magic, then. Those are rare cases."

"But not unheard of. I'm beginning to wonder if Miranda might have more than strain of the wild magic in her. You know that she has always had a way with any animal she meets. Since we both have experienced magic like that, albeit in a limited way, Elise and Roger wanted to see if either of us came to the same conclusion. If it's a case of instinctual magic, it will take longer to test than normal. You can't simply hand a child like that a ring. I might be gone for a few days."

"Of course, the fact that we are right in the middle of cleaning has absolutely nothing to do with this little side trip."

She eyed him, and smiled. "Of course not, why would you even think such a thing."

"I don't know, call it a hunch."

"Well, we all know how correct your hunches are, my dear. So effective, in fact, I stopped listening to them around two hundred years ago. Anyway, I should be back in less than five days. Try to not let anything too exciting happen while I'm gone."

"Like if the Prime Merlinean happens to come walking through the door?"

"Well, yes, that would be something that I would want to know about. It would be an irony, all this time searching and he just comes walking to us."

"Elise did say that the chances were good it would happen like that, and fairly soon. Her visions are always accurate."

"True, which is why I am more hopeful at the dawning of this century, then I have been at any other time of our search. But still, I would prefer to be there when it happens." She had kissed him, and said her goodbyes, before leaving the shop.

That had been two days ago. Now, Balthazar was closing up for the day, not that he had had any costumers scheduled for that day anyway. Still, the cleaning had to be done and there were a few orders in for objects which he and Veronica were still searching for amidst the organized chaos of the Arcana Cabana. He had not been expecting anyone to disturb him that afternoon. Until, he heard the sound of the front door of the shop opening. Slightly irritated, he peeked out the door which led from the back into the shop, and saw a boy who looked to be no more than ten years old staring at the scene in front of him, wide-eyed with wonder.

Balthazar sighed. Obviously, the wards which he and Veronica had placed around the shop to keep out curious eyes were in need of strengthening. He didn't know how else such a small child would have been able to get in. now, he would have to deal with him. Hopefully, he could send him away without any trouble. Maybe he might even teach him a little lesson about trespassing. He wouldn't hurt him, of course, but putting a little cautious fear into him couldn't hurt.

Balthazar snuck out into the shop, unaware of what he was about to find in the person of the ten year old intruder.


	5. Arcana Cabana

Arcana Cabana:

From almost the moment that Dave stepped into the shop, he completely forgot the note which had dawn him there in the first place. The Arcana Cabana was unlike anything he had ever seen before. It was crammed with things from floor to ceiling, many of them defying description. Books, antique swords and weapons, furniture, pottery, and more that Dave wasn't sure that he could identify. The place was quiet, but not in the slightly freaky way just outside the street. He was fascinated. As his eyes traveled around the store, trying to take it all in, he spotted an object that seemed to resemble a lamp like the one from the movie Aladdin.

Dave went over to it, his eyes wide with wonder as he stared at the artifact. "No way," he breathed. Surely there couldn't be a genie in there?

He picked up the lamp and began to rub away at the dust encrusted on it's surface. Unfortunately, Dave could be something of a butterfingers and he accidently lost hold of the lamp, which clattered back onto the table, sending another pile of random stuff to the floor with a loud crash.

Dave stumbled to the floor with a surprised cry. As he did so, his back connected with something strong and solid, a giant funerary urn that would have gone straight to the floor had a hand not reached out and steadied it. Dave whirled around and found himself looking up at a man whose bizarre appearance seemed well suited to the surroundings of the Arcana Cabana. He wild blond hair and stern blue eyes that had a slightly crazy edge to them. He had a floor length leather trench coat on that looked like something out of an old detective movie. He also was wearing funny-looking, pointed shoes. The sight of him was unnerving enough for the ten-year-old, and his first impression was not helped by the fact that he had appeared from seemingly nowhere.

The man seemed to regard him for a moment before he said, "The second Emperor of the Han Dynasty locked his least favorite wife in this urn for ten years, to the day. They say if you open it up, the same thing will happen to you." His voice was slightly sinister, and Dave wasn't quite sure how to respond, as he half-believed the story which he had just heard.

Dave realized that this must be the Balthazar Blake who owned the store. So much for getting in and out unnoticed. However, he managed to pluck up enough courage to say, "I'm sorry, I was just looking for this note. Have you seen it? It just blew into your store?"

Balthazar was putting the funerary urn to one side and did not seem to be listening with more ear. "A note?" He repeated in a rather bored tone. Boy, this kid was persistent. He had hoped to get rid of him with that story about the urn (which was only half true, as the curse only magic users. Still, there was no need for the boy to know that.)

"Yeah, it was just a-" Dave paused trying to find the right word.

Balthazar paused when he heard this. Gradually, a far different look of almost doubtful hope replacing his earlier harsh look. "A coincidence."

"Exactly," said Dave, unaware that he had just changed the course of his entire future.

Balthazar was silent for a long time. Was it just a coincidence, or was it something more? Merlin had often said that there was no such thing as coincidence, no such thing as random happenings in the workings of life. Everything happened for a purpose. How else could it be that he and Veronica had spoken of the arrival of the Prime Merlianean only two days before, and now, this boy had just appeared out of nowhere. It was true, they had never found the Prime Merlinean, but as Veronica had said so many times, it only took finding one child.

Balthazar turned around one more to look at the boy in front of him. Dave couldn't quite read the intense scrutiny that this strange man was scanning him with. This whole thing was starting to get just a little bit strange. It was like some sort of weird dream, that he really hoped that he would wake up from soon.

"I have something to show you, Dave." Said Balthazar, abruptly, as he moved towards the front counter.

"How did you know my name was Dave?" asked Dave, confused.

"Because I can read minds!" said Balthazar with a slight growl in his voice.

Dave backed up a step, his eyes growing wide with fright. He quickly added in a gentler tone, "It's on your backpack."

Having completely forgotten about this, Dave turned around twice in a circle, trying to read his backpack, before he realized the futility of such an action and became embarrassed. But Balthazar didn't seem to notice.

Balthazar was rummaging around for something in an old drawer. And Dave, though a part of him might have wanted to bolt for the door, could not shake the strange feeling of fascination he was having. He was too young to fully understand what it was that he was experiencing. But he wanted to stay, if for no other reason then to satisfy his morbid curiosity.

Tentatively, he came towards the counter, where Balthazar had just placed a small box. Opening the lid, he withdrew what looked like a small, silver dragon figurine, with two red rubies for eyes and a green emerald in its back. He took the odd looking figurine on his hand, and said, "This is very special, and if it likes you, you can keep it."

Dave wasn't to sure about this. He didn't really want to get suckered into buying something. "I better not. My teacher said I couldn't be gone long. She knows I'm here."

The corners of Balthazar's face quirked into a slight smile. "You're a bad liar, Dave." He said, with approval. Dave stared at him, unsure if he was serious. "That's good."

Dave was beginning to wonder if this was worth satisfying his curiosity. This was starting to become too weird. Could he perhaps just leave? He even took a few steps to the door, but the door, as if sensing his intent, closed of its own accord.

He looked back at Balthazar, startled. But the expression on his faces showed that they didn't think of anything out of the ordinary was going on. Dave gulped; looked like he had no choice now. He came back to the counter and took hold of the dragon, Balthazar watching him intently.

Dave looked at the dragon in his hand. For a few seconds, nothing happened, and he wondered what the big deal was. But then, the dragon suddenly stirred. To Dave's utter amazement, the dragon came alive, shook its body and wings. It then turned; jumped up onto Dace's forefinger and wrapped its tail around it, settling there as if it would not be moved again.

Dave, instead of being further freaked out by this, was rather amazed and delighted. "No way." Nothing like this had ever happened to him.

He was so absorbed in this new toy, that he had not noticed the look which passed over Balthazar's face. When the dragon ring accepted the boy in front of him, a great weight seemed to life off his shoulders. The stresses of a thousand centuries seemed to wash off of his face for a split second. It was done. He could hardly believe it. He had found the Prime Merlinean; the first part of Merlin's promise had been completed. He only wished that Veronica could have been there to share it with him. What would she say when she learned about this? Perhaps, this meant that the long years of traveling could end, and they could finally have the family and the life which had been denied to them for so long.

But, he knew that he could not get carried away. He had found the Prime Merlinean, now, training had to begin. Balthazar came around the front of the counter, speaking as he went. "We have been searching a very long time for you."

"We?" said Dave, looking around and not seeing anyone else besides him and Balthazar in the store.

"Veronica, my wife. You'll meet her later. But magically, here you are." The tone of his voice was the gentlest by far that he had used yet with Dave, and he got down on his knees, taking Dave's shoulders in his hands, "That ring on your finger means something, Dave. It means that you're going to be a very important sorcerer one day."

Dave, despite the fact this whole thing was still weirding him out, also felt a strange sense of excitement. He really didn't have any idea what Balthazar was talking about, but the way he was speaking to him, made him understand that he was trying to tell him that he was special. Hardly anyone ever told him that, except for his parents. His teachers, of course, said he was smart, but they said that about a lot of students and the kids at school only really ignored or bullied him. Dave wanted to trust someone who said that about him, because it happened so rarely.

"And your first lesson begins right now, with your very own Incantus." Balthazar was saying. "Do not move, do not touch anything." He said, sternly.

Balthazar was, of course, a great sorcerer; however, he was not very well versed in the language of ten years olds. He might as well have told Dave to have run of the place, and get into everything he possibly could. Put mildly, leaving a child alone with the potential for magic, in a room full of magic objects, you could be sure that only trouble would follow.

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Please, read and review.

Next chapter: So, we all know what happens: Balthazar and Horvath gets sucked into the urn. But, since Veronica is around, and not in the Grimhold, how will that effect the story? We will soon find out, but only after meeting a few new characters.


	6. New York Circle

New York Circle:

In the aftermath of Merlin's defeat by the hands of Morgana, the sorcerers who had followed the teachings of the greatest of all masters had been at a loss for many years. With Merlin's death chaos had descended upon sorcery. No one knew who was in charge or even how those potential leaders should keep alive Merlin's teachings. The period known at the Dark Ages had descended upon Britain because there had been no stability in the ranks of the Merlineans who might have been able to keep some sense of order. However, the passing of years had brought more wisdom, and for centuries there had been a model which had been followed by Merlineans all over the world, and though modified with the changing of the times, it had proven itself to be the most effective way of ruling for sorcerers.

There was always one High Sorcerer that commanded the cities of any great size. They were assisted by a council of seven sorcerers who were Masters in the different areas of the Merlin Circle, while the High Sorcerer had mastered all of them. Together, this group watched over the cities and regions which they had been placed in charge of, preventing the forces of darkness from encroaching to far and protecting the human population from magical troubles.

New York City was no different from any of these. In fact, the city was one of the strongest communities of Merlinean magic in the United States. Having long been known as the Gateway to America, New York's magical population was varied and strong, and had been so nearly since the beginning of the country. Nowhere were the rules of magic better demonstrated then here.

Roger Ventura was the one who led the sorcerers in New York. He had been leader of the city for nearly fifteen years, and during that time, there had been nothing but praise for his strong leadership. There was also something of an honor accorded to him, since he was the first African-American to hold the position of High Sorcerer in New York. Roger was the kind of man who would have received respect wherever he went, regardless of whether his magical standing was known or not. It was not so much in his looks, for he was of rather average height, and there was nothing special in his face that would have ordinarily set him apart from any one else. Rather, it was in the little things that made him so recognizable. The way he carried himself and the tone of his voice both painted the picture of a man in authority, a natural born leader that anyone would have wanted to follow.

Roger was married to Elise, a woman who was perhaps the most well-known seer and telepath in that part of the country. Her visions were uncanny in their accuracy and perception, and they almost always turned out right. Elise was of medium height and build, with long black hair and deep green eyes. Within those eyes were held many secrets, secrets within the length of time that were yet unknown and unspoken. Elise was a quiet, soft-spoken woman, but she was not necessarily overly serious as is so often the portrayal of seers in myths and legends. It was not just the dark moments of life which she foresaw. More often then not, the visions she received were of a kind that had more to do with the workings of ordinary life then with great catastrophe or blessing. Life itself was far more ordinary than some might have thought, even for a seer.

It was perhaps a strange occurrence that the most powerful magical couple in the city should have had a daughter who displayed no magical talent whatsoever. Miranda was undoubtedly a bright child, and she had many wonderful gifts. But magic was not one of them. Her parents did not care that she wasn't magical, for they were determined to nurture her in whatever she choose to do, but not even they could deny that it was unexpected. Most magic was passed down from parent to child. Skipping a generation like this only tended to happen in weaker magic users. The strength on the side of both of her parents should have produced at least a stirring of magic. But, after testing her until the age of ten, her parents had finally decided to let the matter lie quietly, and allow Miranda to pursue her own life.

That had all gone very well, until now. That was way they had wanted Veronica to come to their farm and stables which lay about fifty miles from the bustle of the city. They wanted to see if there was one gift which they had thought to check for.

Veronica had not necessarily known what to expect when she received at the farm where the Venturas lived when they were not called away by business in New York. The farm was located about fifty miles outside of New York, situated in that part of the country where deep green hills and forests stretch for miles on end, making it somewhat difficult to believe that this was the same state where the largest city in the country was built. It was the third day that she had been staying there, that Veronica was standing with Roger and Elise, watching from a distance as twelve-year-old Miranda worked with a painted stallion. The animal might have been able to easily crush her in an instant, but the horse seemed to be perfectly at ease with Miranda. In fact, the two seemed to move so seamlessly together, it was as though some unseen, unspoken force existed between them.

"Some might consider it wiser to have an older person in charge of a stallion of that size." She commented, as she watched.

"You do not know my daughter's stubbornness." Said Roger, "She insisted that she wanted to take on the task of retraining him. And I have to admit, she has done far more for him in a week than the best of my trainers would have in a month."

"Especially this stallion." Said Elise, "Considering the background he came from." Seeing Veronica's questioning look, she explained, "You know that we sometimes take in horses for the humane society when they have no room for them? Well, this horse was a special case. His previous owner abused and neglected him for nearly two years, hardly gave him enough food or water. The first time he came her, he was skittish and aggressive. He wouldn't let anyone come near him."

"Except for Miranda?" guessed Veronica.

"Yes," said Roger, "I wasn't aware of the fact that she kept sneaking out to the barn to visit him. Over the first few weeks, though, when I saw no improvement in his training, I was ready to give up on him. But Elise told me that the stallion had to stay. It was essential to Miranda's future that he did. You know that I cannot ignore anything she says."

"Something that I have to say I have always envied about her." said Veronica, with a smile, "I have tried to get Balthazar to listen to me for nearly 1300 years, and I still sometimes have trouble with it."

"I suppose that I just trained him better." Said Elise.

Veronica laughed slightly, before turning her attention back to the matter at hand. Miranda was now gently stroking the muzzle of the stallion. Again, she did not speak, but the horse seemed soothed by her presence, and it was clear that there was some sort of communication going on between them. Slowly, Miranda started to attach a rope to the halter. The stallion shied slightly, clearly not wanting having anything to do with the rope. Miranda quickly lowered the offending object and kept a soothing hand on the stallion's muzzle. She calmed the stallion, and then showed him the rope again, letting him see it and smell it, as though showing him that there was nothing to fear from it. In a few minutes, the horse had accepted the rope, and was even allowing Miranda to lead him a little ways, even though he still seemed a little reluctant.

"So, she was the first to touch him when he let no one else get near him?"

"Yes," said Roger, "She spent hours on end with him, just leaning on the stall door, looking at him, as though she were trying to listen to him, even though I could hear nothing. And now, she is the one who is rehabilitating him, when hardly anyone else can get near him."

Veronica, as she watched the scene before them, could help but think back on the conversation that she had had with Miranda the day before. The two of them had been in the stables, among the horses, and followed closely by Miranda's near constant companions, her pet golden retriever, Frank and her calico cat, Snickers. Veronica had observed how happy the child seemed when she was surrounded by the creatures of the farm.

"I love animals." Said Miranda, with an enthusiasm that was not at all fained and was quite enduring, "I've never met an animal who didn't like me. I sometimes think that they understand me better than most people. In fact, I think that I understand _them_ better than most people do, as well."

"In what ways?"

Miranda seemed to hesitate, before she said, "If I told you, you wouldn't believe me."

Veronica smiled at Miranda, and spoke to her gently, "I have seen a lot of things in this world that a lot of people wouldn't believe. I am quite convinced that there is nothing now which I would have difficulty believing. You can tell me, and I promise that I will listen to you."

Veronica had always had a way with children, much more so then Balthazar. No child was ever afraid of Veronica, whereas with Balthazar, well, most children were a little intimidated at first by his gruff ways, before they realized that there was really a heart of gold underneath. With Veronica, there was a sense of trust, a sense that they could tell her anything without it being ignored or pushed to the side. That was probably why Veronica was a bit more suited to the present circumstance then was Balthazar. Miranda would have taken much longer to open up to him.

"Well, I always have felt that I could hear what animals are thinking, you know the reasons behind why they behave. But lately, I've also been noticing that I can actually talk to them."

"Talk to them? You mean as easily as you are talking to me now?"

"Yes, only differently. See, animals don't talk like humans do, they talk to each other using their own ways."

"That makes sense. People from other parts of the world have their own languages; it would only make sense that animals did so the same way."

"Right, that's exactly what I always thought. So, I have started talking to them all the time, and they have taught me a lot. I sometimes think that I can smell as well as Frank does, or that I can walk as gracefully as Snickers. It's the same with any animal I talk too; I can just do what they do once they explain it to me."

"And you just do it without thinking?"

"Yes, it's so easy after awhile; I don't know why more people don't do it." Miranda was still at an innocent age when the unexplainable seems to be the most natural thing in the world. Thus, everything that she told Veronica of talking to animals, thinking and acting the way that they did seemed to her the most natural thing in the world. There was nothing strange or abnormal about it, it was simply what she did.

That mind set, naïve as it might have seemed was probably for the best. That meant that the gift which Miranda had would perhaps not scare as she got older. Veronica was now almost convinced, from all she had seen and heard that Miranda did, in fact, have magic, just not the conventional kind.

Most magic in this world can only be manipulated by those who are born with the ability sense it. Even then, that magical energy can only be harnessed through the use of special rings or other jewels which they forged with the help of their masters. The rings connected them to energy in their own bodies, with that of the outside world. However, there was another type of magic which was extremely rare, and this was known as instinctual magic.

Instinctual magic means that a single gift in a person is heightened to an exceptional degree. This vein of magic was narrow in focus, but ran so deep that a person could use it without any outside intervention. Most of the time, they didn't even know that they were capable of it. Throughout history, those individuals who have instinctual magic are those that have been remembered by history as bearing that elusive gift known as genius.

One of the rarest types of instinctual magic was known as wild or animal magic. Some sorcerers were able to communicate with certain types of animals, but the concept of wild magic went much deeper. Wild magic users could talk back and forth with animals, take on animal's senses, even having the power to shape-shift.

"She is certainly gifted, somehow." She said, "This is the most convincing proof I have seen of wild magic in someone for over five hundred years, and considering how many magic users Balthazar and I have met, that should give you some idea of how rare this is. The only thing that is missing though is some form of shape-shifting. Have either of you seen anything that might point to that?"

Roger and Elise looked at each other. Finally, Elise said, "I have, nearly two years from now."

"That fits with the instinctual magic Balthazar and I have encountered over the centuries." said Veronica, "It always manifests itself late. But once she experiences her first shifting, it will be evident. The older she grows, the more adept she will become. In the meantime, you have to let Miranda know what is happening to her. She must not be frightened by this, and she will need someone to guide her on controlling her abilities once they become stronger."

"That does lead me to ask you something else," said Elise, "the other reason why I wanted you to come here today and not Balthazar."

"What do you mean?" asked Veronica.

"Would you be Miranda's teacher when she begins to experience her changes?"

Veronica stared at Elise, honestly surprised. "Why would you ask me?"

"No one else in the Council has any experience with instinctual magic, but you do, however limited it might be." said Elise.

Roger seemed just as surprised as Veronica at his wife's request. "Elise, is there something that you haven't been telling me? We weren't going to ask Veronica until we were sure of Miranda."

A strange thing then happened, well, strange perhaps for those who had never seen it. Elise's eyes grew an even brighter green; they almost looked like they were glowing. She focused straight at Veronica, as though seeing her in the present moment, but also at a future point in time. This was what happened when Elise was either experiencing a vision or remembering a particularly strong one. "Veronica might be having a lot more time over the next few years to help Miranda."

Under ordinary circumstances, Veronica would not have been so disturbed. She had known several seers throughout history, she knew what happened when they had visions, but this time, it was different for her. There had been something which she had been concealing from Roger and Elise throughout that day. Even since the previous evening, she had begun to have a strange feeling of unease. In a way that she couldn't explain, she just had a very bad feeling that something very bad was happening at home. It was not a feeling which was new to her. She had experienced before, back in 1912, when she and Balthazar had been separated because of the sinking of the _Titanic_, and they had not seen each other again for nearly twenty years. It was only one of times when she and Balthazar had been separated in their journey to find the Prime Merlinean.

At that moment, Roger's cell phone went off. "I should probably get that." he said, "That's Michael's ring and I know that he never calls me at this time of day unless there is an emergency."

"Yes, there has been an emergency." Said Elise, in that same otherworldly tone, the one she used when she was living in two different times at once, seeing two visions at the same time.

As Roger moved off from them to take the call, Veronica turned back to Elise. "My friend, have you seen something that has to do with Balthazar?" asked Veronica, "Because if you have, you shouldn't keep it from me. Is he in danger? Is he all right?"

"Calm down, Veronica. If I had known that Balthazar was dead, I would have told you, but I have seen things that make me think that something is about to happen or has happened which will have a big impact on your life." She looked at Veronica closely, seeing that her posture had undergone a subtle change, there was rigidity in her stance, a look in her eyes that went beyond worry, a fear that went deeper than anything Elise would have been able to understand. "Have you sensed anything from Balthazar that might make you worried for his safety?"

Veronica swallowed hard, as if trying to hold in some great emotion. "Yes, I think so. I always get a sense of when he is in danger, or that something has happened to him which I can't prevent. It's been there for centuries. It comes with being with him so many centuries, I think. It never gets any easier, no matter how many times I experience it. It started this morning, and it hasn't let up all day. If anything, it seems to have gotten stronger. I almost was ready to return home once I ascertained for certain what was happening with your daughter."

It was at this point, that Roger returned to them, his conversation finished, and his face utterly serious. He caught the last part of Veronica's statement, and said, "You do need to return home, Veronica, and Elise and I need to go with you."

"Why? What's happened?" said Veronica, trying to control the panic she felt rising within her.

"Michael called me to tell me that there has been a break-in in New York. The Arcana Cabana has been breached."

* * *

Please read and review.

Next chapter: In which many things are discussed and discovered. The finding of the Prime Merlinean will soon change everything.


	7. Discussions

Discussions:

When Veronica, Roger and Elise arrived at the Arcana Cabana, they found worrying signs. They could all sense that the wards which normally guarded the building were gone. The door was standing open, looking far too much like an invitation. The lights were on, and they could see the figure of someone moving around. But, this was not necessarily what caused them the most concern.

As they came into the room, Roger said, "Michael, what happened?"

Michael Harris was a sorcerer of the 467th Degree. He was a master of illusion, manipulation, and sensory feeling. He was tall, with brown hair and piercing blue eyes. He was an important sorcerer in the New York Circle of Merlineans. It was he who kept an eye on the Morganian sects or incidents of strange magical happenings in the city. In a city as big as New York, that could be a rather big task.

Michael came up to them. "I was patrolling this side of the town. A couple of Morganian apprentices thought it would be cute to try and terrorize the locals by disguising themselves as demons and wreaking havoc with their magic. I thought I would stop by here to make sure that you and Balthazar hadn't seen anything out of the ordinary. But when I got here, I found the place open and exposed."

"You mean the wards were broken?" said Veronica, the feeling of worry she had had throughout the day beginning to increase.

"More like nonexistent. In fact, I'm afraid that I wasn't the first one here."

Veronica understood. The Arcana Cabana would be something of a magnet for trouble if the wards weren't properly maintained. She and Balthazar had collected many items in the shop that did have powerful magical capabilities. The Arcana Cabana was a place of trade for Merlineans everywhere who might have need for a particular magical item. But, in the wrong hands, those items could cause havoc.

Veronica immediately started looking around the shop, checking to see if anything was out of place or broken. "You said you weren't the first one here. Why did you say that?"

"I heard the thieves as came in the back. They must have heard me and made a run for it. I would have gone after them, but I didn't like the thought of anyone else coming here in my absence. Especially someone who may not have friendly intentions."

"Were they Morganians?"

"No, not that I could sense. Merely some very accomplished human thieves."

Veronica could not find anything of any particular value missing as she quickly looked around the shop. They were mostly odds and ends that were not special or magical in any way for the most part. She and Balthazar normally kept the more dangerous items out of sight for most costumers who were not magical. However, she still couldn't shake the feeling that there was something wrong about this whole thing.

She was apparently not the only one. Roger and Elise were also doing their own investigating, sensing for things which the normal sense of sight wouldn't have been able to pick up. "You said that the thieves weren't sorcerers, Michael." Said Roger, "I'm picking up some auras, very strong ones. I'm certain that one is Balthazar, though I am not sure of the other. "

Veronica had noticed the presence of these mixed auras as well. She knew for certain that one of them was Balthazar, but the other was also equally familiar. In fact, one of them was so familiar that even after not encountering it for over 80 years, she still recognized it. "Horvath." She said, softly, and with no small amount of horrified shock.

"Horvath?" said Michael, "As in Maxim Horvath?"

"Yes, I would know his aura anywhere. It's the only one besides Balthazar that could leave such a vivid trail behind, and still be so strong even after all these hours."

"But you and Balthazar locked him in the Grimhold, in 1929, if I remember what I read in the Incantus rightly." Said Roger. "How could you be feeling him now?"

"Perhaps someone let him out." said Elise, who was looking around the shop with a gaze that seemed to say that though she had never lived this scene, it still struck her as being familiar.

"But, who would let him out?" said Michael, "We all know the danger which Horvath represents, even if he was before our time. "And you and Balthazar keep the Grimhold so well hidden, not even I know where it is."

However, Veronica was already going to the place where she and Balthazar had hidden the Grimhold nearly eighty years before. Her worst fears were confirmed when she saw that the space in the wall, which had been reinforced and hidden magically from any prying eyes was, was cracked and empty. "The Grimhold is gone." She said, "But, this isn't making any sense. There are no other auras here besides Balthazar's and Horvath's, and no matter how talented normal human thieves are, there is no way that they could have found it."

"Our answers, it seems, do not lie in the present," said Elise, "But in the past. Veronica, I'll need your help to reconstruct what happened here. I can manipulate time to show us, but you are closer to Balthazar then anyone. Your help will increase the clarity."

What they saw of the last twenty four hours was a confirmation of all of Veronica's worst fears. The little group saw the images of men as mere ghosts of the past, but it was still painful for Veronica to watch when she knew that there was nothing that she could do about it. Even before the end of it, she knew that she was in for yet another period of waiting.

The events which they witnessed played out in this fashion. A boy had come into the shop, quite unexpectedly, and Balthazar had tested him with the Dragon Ring. Imagine the shock of everyone when they saw that the Ring of Merlin accepted a new bearer after so many centuries. They all knew what that meant. The prophecy of the Prime Merlinean was mentioned in nearly every Incantus, regardless if the reader was Morganian or Merlinean. There had not been one of Merlin's powers in over a thousand generations. The very idea was considered by some to be nothing more than a myth. But there could be little doubt of what the group witnessed.

After this was when the trouble started. The boy, Dave, had unwittingly found the Grimhold and opened it without thinking. A mass of cockroaches had emerged, thousands upon thousands of the crawling insects all eventually swarming together to create the column of a man, the suavely dressed and smooth spoken Maxim Horvath. He looked exactly the same as he had nearly eighty years before, when Veronica and Balthazar had trapped him in the Grimhold. Even after so many years, Veronica could not stop the mixed feelings of anger, disgust and also strangely pity that she felt when ever she had encountered Horvath. She had never been able to completely forgive him, but she couldn't entirely hate him either. It was a strange dichotomy which this threesome shared. Though always fighting on opposite sides, were yet enemies who respected each other. Even Horvath, unable to let go of the evil which had consumed him so long ago, had allowed them to be his equals. He never tried underhanded tricks with them, though he had no qualms about using them elsewhere.

Like in the present situation. Once he had recovered from being out in the real world again, he seemed to have no qualms about killing an innocent child who just happened to be in his way. Had it not been for Balthazar, the Prime Merlinean's destiny would have been over before it had even had a chance to begin. What had followed was a short, but still fierce fight between the two sorcerers, which had ended with Horvath setting the place on fire. Thinking that he had taken care of Balthazar, he had turned to Dave, who had watched this whole thing with mounting terror, even as he still clutched the Grimhold. Horvath had demanded the Grimhold, and might have gotten it very willingly, had not Balthazar leapt from the flames to tackle Horvath from behind. With no other way to protect Dave, he had forced himself and Horvath into the funerary urn which had been knocked over in the midst of the fight. Balthazar and Horvath vanished in a cloud of ash, that was quickly sucked into the urn and the lid closed down tightly.

There was not much more to tell beyond this, and Veronica herself did not want to see anymore when she saw her husband being dragged into the urn. In fact, she had to turn away, so that the others would not see her distress. Again, it had happened again. She and Balthazar had been separated, forced apart once more because of the quest which they had to achieve. The old feeling of loss which she felt whenever this happened came upon her once again with almost crippling force. Once again, she felt as though she had lost one half of herself, and briefly questioned whether this would ever end.

The rest of the group stood in silence as the last of the images faded and for awhile, they could say nothing. They all knew the implications, but it was so unexpected, that they didn't really know how to react. Not even Roger knew, and he had seen many things in his time as High Sorcerer of New York.

At last, though, he managed to remember that this had happened in his city. A major shift in the constant tug of war for dominance between light and dark had just been discovered. It was his responsibility to know how this would affect the magic in the rest of the city. "Elise," he said, "Did you know about this?"

Elise shook her head. "I have been getting conflicting images for the past few months. I knew that something was about to happen, but I didn't knew exactly what. None of them were clear enough to act on. You know my gifts, Roger. Some things are clearer then others, and those things which I see but cannot prevent I am unable to speak of. This was meant to happen, otherwise I would have told you." She turned a pleading glance on Veronica, "Veronica, I had no idea that something like this was going to happen. I knew that something was going to happen to change your lives, but I never thought you would lose Balthazar again. If I could have done anything to prevent it, I would have done it."

Veronica had managed to regain herself. The pain never got any easier, but it was something that she had grown used to over the years. She never let it keep her from doing what needed to be done. She turned back to the others, "Yes, Elise. I do understand, and I don't blame you. It would be rather pointless now to do so." She shook her head, a bitter laugh escaping her despite her best efforts to keep it in. "It's just so cruelly ironic. The one thing that Balthazar and I have been waiting for and I cannot be here to share it when it happens."

"There was nothing that you could have done." Said Roger, "Not if it was meant to happen this way. But, there are other questions which need to be answered? This urn which Balthazar and Horvath were sucked into, what is it and where is it?"

"As to where it is, I think we already know." said Michael, "The thieves stole it. Something like that would fetch quite a lot on a street corner, especially considering how many hawkers there are in New York who sell cheap rip offs claiming to be the real thing."

"That will make things a bit more complicated." Said Veronica, "That urn was from the Han Dynasty. The story goes that the second emperor locked his least favorite wife in it for ten years. Whoever opens it will suffer the same fate, and nothing can get them out, except for ten years to the day."

"To bad we can't get our hands on one of those." Said Michael, "I've known quite a few sorcerers that I would like to shut away for ten years, and not all of them were Morganians."

"This is no laughing matter, Michael." Said Veronica, her temper flaring, "We're talking about my husband. Who knows where he might he end up when the urn is opened. There's also the Prime Merlinean. The child must have been frightened out of his wits. And if any stray Morganian happens to run into him, it could be a disaster. Doesn't any of that mean anything to you? How can you just stand there and make jokes when there is so much at stake?"

"Veronica, calm down." said Roger, in the calm authoritative manner that made him such an ideal leader. "We are all of aware of the seriousness of the situation. Michael, she is right. Now is not the time for your sardonic sense of humor to dominate. I think that we have a pretty good idea of what went on here. The Grimhold is gone, an urn containing two of the most powerful sorcerers the world has ever known has gone missing and a child who is the Prime Merlinean is out there with no one to protect him. Those are not good odds by any stretch of the imagination. But, is there anything that can be done about it?"

"There is only one thing we can do." said Elise, "As I said before, this issue is complicated, but while we were coming over here, I did have several visions which were quite clear. All of them tell me that there is one thing which can be done."

"And what would that be, exactly?" asked Michael.

"We do nothing."

Three pairs of eyes showed clear disbelief with that statement. "Do nothing?" said Veronica, "We can't just do nothing?"

"I know how that must sound, but please let me explain. As you say, Roger, there is not much good to be had from this situation. But, any action which we take to try and reverse it now will only make the situation worse. As to the missing urn, what good would it do to track it down? There is nothing we can do to open it, and if we were to keep in a secure location, there is an equal choice that Horvath will emerge before Balthazar does, and we all know how that might go, even if Horvath could be contained."

"She's right about that." said Veronica, after a moment, "After all this time of fighting him I know how crafty Horvath is. He was always good at thinking on his feet, and he can do a lot of damage in a short period of time. But what about the Grimhold? Why couldn't we track it down?"

"Well, I am not suggesting that you forget about it completely, but it should be easy enough to keep an eye on, because it will be staying here in New York. And, as far as I know, there is no sorcerer that would be powerful enough to break the outer shell, be they Merlinean or Morganian, for the stronger the sorcerer who was trapped inside it, the harder it will be for them to escape from the outside. But, it cannot be directly in your hands Veronica; because it will only be through the event of finding it that the Prime Merlinean will be able to find his power."

"What do you mean?" asked Veronica.

"The boy, Dave, he was understandably scarred from his experiences here. He was nearly killed because of magic, and he will not forget it easily. The truth is he will want nothing to do with magic for many years to come, not until Balthazar comes back and can begin teaching him. The day that Balthazar can get the Grimhold back, that will be the day when he can find his powers."

A moment of silence, as all present absorbed this information, and then Roger turned to Veronica, "Veronica, the Prime Merlinean was the responsibility of you and Balthazar. You are not officially members of my Circle; I cannot order you to do anything. What would you do?"

"I think that what Elise says is true." said Veronica, "I don't think there is a more suitable option. Even so, I will protect the Prime Merlinean from those who do him harm. The Morganians are aware of the prophecy of the Prime Merlinean, and if they ever found a child who they suspected of being the one who would inherit Merlin's power, they would kill them without a second thought. But, for right now, his greatest safety lies in the fact that no one knows of his existence yet. This fight between my husband and Horvath was inconclusive, as so many of the battles are over the years, so I doubt it will even merit mentioning in the Incantus, even as a footnote. If that's the case, then Dave should be fairly safe, for now."

"His greatest danger will be as he grows older," said Roger, "Magic potential always grows, even if the bearer cannot access it when he doesn't wear his Ring. Other Morganian sorcerers might sense him through the years."

"I will be keeping an eye on the Morganian factions in the city." Said Michael, "I'll be listening for any rumors about the Prime Merlinean or anything else which is suspect for that matter. It's something I have had more than enough practice in."

"Then I think that this discussion is over." said Roger, "I think that all of you will understand if I ask that this be kept between the four of us."

They all agreed that this was for the best. And for Veronica, the evening began yet another long period of waiting. She had grown to learn, along with Balthazar across their long journey through the years, that sometimes nothing happened for a very long time. For now, there was nothing to be done, but wait.

* * *

I hope that everyone is enjoying this so far. Be sure and remember these characters in future chapters. They become pretty important as the story goes on. Please read and review.


	8. Car Crash

I know, this isn't the next scene in the movie. But, I sort of wanted to show a scene of what might have happened during the ten years that the movie takes, bascially for two main reasons. First off, I wanted to show that Dave might have been in some real danger from other Morganian sorcerers. I mean, even if no one knows he's specifically the Prime Merlinean, I still think that they would have sensed his magical potiential. Given that, it might be kind of a miracle that Dave wasn't killed in the ten year gap that is shown in the movie. Secondly, a lot of stories show Dave as coming from an abused childhood. That is fine, but I wanted to try and go a different route with it. So, I hope that you like this chapter.

Car Crash:  
Carl Stutlar sometimes had trouble understanding his son. This was not necessarily a failing, as most parents and children have difficulty understanding each other during that time of transition known as puberty. But, with Dave, it was a unique case. Carl loved his son, and he supported him no matter what. However, he sometimes wished that Dave would confide in him just a little more. There had been a time when Dave had told his father everything and his mother too. But, ever since that incident in fourth grade, Dave had been, well, different. Neither Carl nor Linda could accept that their son had some sort of mental disorder. When they had heard what had happened from his teacher at the Arcana Cabana, they had been concerned. Dave refused to say anything about it, and they didn't really know what had actually happened from his point of view. After a few months, however, the teasing from the other children had become so terrible that they had pulled Dave out of that school and enrolled him somewhere else.

Though they couldn't believe that there was something wrong with Dave's mind (for he seemed perfectly all right in that area), they couldn't deny that day had changed his forever. They had sometimes noticed that he was nervous in situations that didn't seem all that threatening, and seemed to them totally random. There were times when Dave was freaked out by being in a crowd, others when he was frightened just by being in a dark room by himself for any period of time. The strangest thing was that his feelings of nervousness always turned out to be justified in some way. His parents had once left a department store because Dave had been so nervous. Less then half-an-hour later, a severe fire had gutted the place. It always happened that way, and Dave was always aware of disaster before it could strike. He seemed able to sense things that they weren't able to understand, as if he had some sixth sense warning him of danger.

They couldn't understand that. Nor could they understand Dave's emerging brilliance for the science of physics and molecular energy. It wasn't long before Dave started sounding like a miniature version of Einstein. Neither of them really had any understanding of physics. Linda was a free lance journalist; he was a chef who owned his own bakery. They really couldn't understand where that gift had come from. But then again, there had always been gifts on both sides of the family which seemed to come from nowhere. However, they did sometimes wonder if that had anything to do with Dave's odd abilities.

Dave never talked of these abilities. Indeed, he seemed either unaware that he had them, or simply didn't want to discuss them. However, every so often either Carl or Linda would hear a certain catch in his voice, as though he were on the verge of telling them something important, but it never seemed to come out.

On Dave's fifteenth birthday, however, an event occurred which would change their lives as a family. Dave was never too keen on celebrating his birthday. He didn't seem to like being reminded of his tenth birthday, when the event which had scarred him had occurred. However, on that day, he asked his dad if they could go for a drive, something they had always used to do when Dave wanted to talk about something. Carl hoped that maybe this was time when his son would finally open up to him.

They drove in silence for several moments, before Carl finally said, "Look, son, I'm not trying to pry something out of you, but you said you wanted to go one a drive. I'm assuming it wasn't just because of the scenery."

Dave seemed to shift in his seat. His father did always have a way of coming to the point. That wasn't a bad thing, but sometimes it could be a little awkward. "Why do you always have to be so insightful?"

"Because I was a psychiatry student before I became a cook, Dave. I took two years of courses, so I think I know a few things."

"Why did you decide to become a cook instead of a psychiatrist?"

"You're mother thought that I looked better in a chef's hat then in a bad suit and bow tie." Said Carl, "And besides, you can get more out of people feeding then having them sit on a couch staring up at the ceiling. So, what's the problem?"

Dave was silent for a few minutes, trying to find the right words. He wanted to tell his father. He wanted to tell someone. This secret was just starting to tear him to pieces. He knew that his father wouldn't think he was crazy, he would at least try to believe him. "Well, I want to tell you about that day at the Arcana Cabana."

"Yes, what about it?"

That was another thing about Carl. He never tried to put words into his son's mouth. Once he got the subject started, he knew that Dave would be able to find the words. And it would be better for him in the long run.

Dave continued again after a short pause. "I know that I never really told you and Mom about what happened, but I just didn't want to relive the memory. It frightened me so much, and then when everyone told me that I had just imagined it, well, it just made it all worse. It was like if you saw someone beating up mom and then everyone told you it didn't really happen and you must have imagined it. Wouldn't that make you feel awful?"

"Yes, Dave, it would. And it would probably make me feel very angry, too. I can understand why you may have wanted to not to face it all these years. But, you don't ever need to be afraid of what we might say. Dave, you are not remotely stupid or crazy. We're there for you. I just want you to know that."

"I do, I do know that. That's why I have to tell you the truth, at least as much as I remember of it. Now, I don't think I can get through this without just diving in there and getting it over with, so please, just hear me out. Don't ask any questions. Try to keep an open mind."

"Of course, Dave. Just take a deep breath. Start at the beginning."

"Well, it all started with this note that I wrote to Becky Barnes." He stopped and colored slightly, "Uh, I mean, you know… I just…"

"I understand, Dave. I did the same thing with your mother when we were in fourth grade. So, you wrote her a note asking her about her feelings, then what?"

"She got the note, and she wrote something on it. Then, she set the note down on the ground. I went over to pick it up, but before I could grab it, this wind came up out of nowhere and blew it away. It was crazy. So I chased it, and it always seemed to stay out of my reach. Until, I came to this street which was strewn with papers. And then…"

Suddenly Dave stopped, and not because of embarrassment this time. Instead, his face went blank for a split second, and then a look of terror grew in his eyes, and he said, "Dad, stop."

"Dave?"

"Stop! Stop the car!"

"Dave, what's the matter?"

Before Dave could respond, there was a loud roaring of an engine. Carl barely had time to register that a car seemed to appear from nowhere in front of them, and was barreling towards them down the street. Carl reacted on instinct. He swerved, hoping to avoid the maniac driver. Though he never had a clear picture of the next few moments, he swore that the car followed him, and in the next second, he saw that a collision was inevitable. Again, without really thinking and with a parent's instinct to protect their child no matter what, he swerved the car again, placing himself directly in line with the oncoming vehicle. There was the squeal of brakes, the crash of metal on metal and the sound of glass breaking. Carl Stutlar had time only to feel a shattering agony race through every bone in his body, before blackness swallowed him and he knew no more.

* * *

Veronica had hoped that this birthday, Dave would not have anything to worry about. It always seemed that some sort of attack would come just sort of harming him on his birthday. It was on this day that he always seemed the most aware that dark forces were watching him. Understandably, he hadn't really grown up particularly looking forward to his birthday.

She had kept a close eye on Dave's progress over the past five years. She had seen and learned much about him. She sometimes thought that even if she had never exchanged a word with him, she knew him very well. He was a bright child, beginning to express an interest in science that seemed almost supernatural. There was genuineness about him as well, an innate sense of right and wrong.

Unfortunately, she could see that his experience at the Arcana Cabana had clearly traumatized him. Though it might have been had to see, there was something that was different about Dave, and it set him apart. He was picked on mercilessly by the other kids. He seemed unsure of himself, and always tried to blend in. He didn't want to catch anyone's eye. He didn't want anything to do with magic, but every so often, she could catch sight of his abilities asserting themselves. At times, when it brought wonder rather then danger, Dave seemed to welcome the possibility that magic just might exist.

But, these times seemed few and far between. Technically, Dave was still unknown to the world of sorcery, either by his name or his destiny as the Prime Merlinean. However, such magic as Dave had, growing ever stronger as she become older could not fail to be noticed. Even if Morganians didn't know he was the Primer Merlinean, they still saw that he would be a force for good, and they would go to any lengths to keep that from happening.

Many had been the times when Veronica had saved Dave's life from those who would have done him harm, but this time she would be almost too late.

It had been five years to the day since Balthazar and Horvath disappeared into the urn. She had been attending to regular matters in the Arcana Cabana, when she sensed it. Beyond the Arcana Cabana, in the street, there seemed to be two great winds hurtling towards each other, one was light, the other dark. She could instantly recognize the aura which belonged to Dave, and her protective instincts immediately kicked in. She barely had any time to try and throw a shield around his body, when she heard the sound of a horrendous crash outside of her doors.

She came to the door and recoiled with horror when she saw what had happened. Two cars had crashed into each other, if "cars" was still the best descriptive word anymore. The vehicles were almost unrecognizable; they were so twisted and managed. But, he was relieved when she was able to sense that two people, Dave being among them, were still alive. She was not surprised that there had been no driver in the other car; the controller of that vehicle was somewhere else.

She hurried to the passenger side of the car. There was Dave, unconscious, but alive and unhurt, except for a broken arm. Veronica had always been skilled at her healing abilities, and never was she more grateful for that then now. Not just for Dave's sake, but for that of the man behind him, who was severely injured and would most likely die before the paramedics could arrive if he didn't receive some kind of help from her soon.

In order to examine him closer, she needed to get Dave out of the car and to safety. She opened what was left of the door, and began to gently remove the seat belt. While she was doing this, Dave began to stir.

With a groan his eyes opened. His vision was blurry for several seconds. All he could really feel was that his body ached all over, particularly his left arm. But the pain couldn't fully dull his memory. The image of the car racing towards them made him become fully aware of his surroundings. And his first thought was not for himself, but for his father. "Dad! Dad! Where are you? Dad, are you all right?"

Instead of his father's reassuring voice, another voice, female and soothing came to Dave's ears. "Calm down, Dave. Everything will be all right."

For some reason, Dave trusted the voice completely. He felt that he could trust the person with his life and know that he had put it in safe hands. His vision finally cleared at last, and he saw that he was still trapped in the wrecked car, and that a woman was hovering over him, with long black hair and deep brown eyes. Her face was a reflection of her voice, calm, soothing, reassuring. "Who are you?"

"A friend, Dave." She said, with a gentle smile, "Everything will be fine. You have to trust me. I won't hurt you."

Dave's eyes shifted to the driver's side and he saw his father's twisted body. "Dad," he said. He tried to move towards him, but the woman pulled him back, gently but firmly.

"Dave, you can't do anything to help him right now. Let me get you out of this car and safety, and then I'll look after him."

Dave turned to stare at her. "Are you a doctor?"

She smiled, a bit enigmatically. "In a matter of speaking. You're not badly hurt, except for your arm. If I helped you, do you think you could walk?"

Dave nodded numbly; the trauma of the past few minutes was starting to catch up with him. He stumbled out of the car, and with the woman assisting him, managed to hobble up to the stairs of a nearby shop and sit down shakily.

"Relax, Dave." Said the woman, "I'll try to do what I can for your father."

Dave blinked, confused. He was beginning to notice that there was something very strange about this whole situation. Why would this woman suddenly appear out of nowhere to help him? True, he felt like he could trust her, but it seemed like a very convenient coincidence. And wasn't this street almost eerily familiar? He suddenly felt the hair on the back of his neck stand straight up, and cold chills skating down his spine. No, this couldn't be happening, not again. He couldn't have been brought back here. He looked around at the ship which he was sitting right in front of.

Veronica saw that Dave's attention had been drawn by something and his eyes had widened with horror?"

"Dave, what's the matter?"

"Instead of answering right away, Dave's eyes shifted to the name of the proprietors on the window. _Veronica and Balthazar Blake_. He remembered that Balthazar had mentioned that he had a wife named Veronica. Could this be her? "Veronica?" He questioned. "Veronica Blake?"

"Yes," said Veronica, after only a moment's pause. "Yrs, that's my name. I suppose that I don't have to tell you why I know your name."

Actually, Dave was a bit of riled up to begin noticing that small detail. "You're the wife of the man who ruined my life."

Veronica's eyes flashed suddenly, and for a moment, she looked angry. "Watch what you say, Dave. It's because of my husband that you're actually still alive today. If he hadn't protected from Horvath, then you would be standing here today."

"Horvath? The guy who almost killed me?"

"Yes, that's his name. He is one of the most dangerous sorcerers in the history of the practice. It's a blessing for you that he is not an immediate threat. If he were still around, then he would have found some way to take care of you sooner or later, and in a much more efficient manner than has been attempted over the last few years, or even today."

"What are you talking about?'

"You can't tell me that you didn't see another driver in that car, Dave. This wasn't a normal bit and run accident. The car was being operated from another location, by another sorcerer who wants to kill you. don't worry. Something like this, I'll be able to track down whoever did it, and take care of them. you won't have to worry about that sorcerer at least."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" said Dave, "Are you trying to tell me that every disaster which has ever befallen me is because of somebody is trying to kill me?"

"I don't think ever disaster is the responsibility of magic, but those which might have caused you harm, yes. But, it is not just you. It's part of the price which we pay."

"We?" questioned Dave, "Why do you sorcerers always refer to yourselves as if there were more than one of you?"

"But, there are, Dave. There are many others like you. Merlineans, who have always tried to keep mankind from Morganians-"

"Morganians? What is it with these weird names?"

Veronica realized that this might be a little bit too much detail; nonetheless, she saw that Dave didn't seem quite as fearful as he had only a few moments before. now, he seemed more curious then anything else, as if he almost wanted to hear more. "The explanation of the names would take a little longer then we have. Morganians are evil. They believe in exploiting magic for dominance, no matter what lengths they have to go to get it. Merlineans make sure that the balance is kept, and that Morganians never have the ability to destroy mankind."

"So, how many are out there, trying to kill me?"

"I can't answer that, Dave. But, we can discuss this another time. Right now, I need to see too your father."

"No." said Dave, with sudden vehemence. "No, don't touch him. You've already ruined my life; can't you be satisfied with that? Just leave him alone."

Veronica looked at Dave closely saying. "You are a remarkable boy, Dave. Your first instinct is to put others before yourself. That is, in and of itself, a gift. But there are many kinds of magic. Not all of them are for causing harm."

"It's because of magic that he was brought into this mess. It's because of magic that he almost died?"

"But the magic I have can help him."

There was so much conviction in her words; Dave almost wanted to believe her. The voice in his mind (the one that he tried to often to ignore), was speaking now, telling him to accept this gift, and not treat it as a curse. But, when Dave saw what had befallen his father, because of this "magical" ability he had, because of who he was. He couldn't accept it. This was his fault. He couldn't let it happen again. The only way to be safe was just to deny that it even existed.

"No, no. This is crazy. It's not real. None of it is real."

Veronica tried to say something, but Dave was clearly beyond the point of listening. He could only hear his own doubts and fears. She really had no choice in her next action. She stepped up to him and placed her hands on both sides of his face, before he could struggle or speak, she spoke, in the same soothing tone she had when she had first addressed him. "Dave, calm down."

Dave's body went limp and his eyes closed. Veronica lowered him gently to the pavement, asleep. She had hated to do that, but she really didn't have much choice. Dave's aversion to magic seemed to be deeper than even she had thought. This experience certainly wouldn't help. She could only hope that Balthazar would be able to talk sense to him.

Right now, though, she needed to concentrate on Dave's father. She intended to show Dave that not all magic was bad.

When she was able to assess him, she found that he was alive and would very likely live many more years. However, his injuries were severe. There are some things which not even magic could fix. In this case, the wounds which Dave's father had received to his spinal column were irreversible. He would be paralyzed for the rest of his life.

When the paramedics had arrived on scene, Veronica only gave them as many of the facts as she felt she could without telling an all out lie. She wouldn't speak with Dave again directly for another five years. Carl Stutlar would also think it strange that that his son never mentioned the accident, nor ever alluded to the subject which he had been about to broach just seconds before the crash.

For Dave himself, his memories of his fifteenth birthday were fragmentary at best. However, he remembered enough to know that his father had been paralyzed, and that both of them had almost been killed by magic, yet again. He was old enough at this time to know that it was not just himself who had been in danger this time. That left even more of an indelible mark on him when it came to magic. From that day on, he would avoid even the mention of magic with renewed determination. However, he remembered what Veronica said to him in vivid detail, though he tried not to think of it. Because the Veronica Blake's words made him aware of a small part of himself, a part that someone out there thought that he was special, and expected more of him than he though possible.

* * *

Please read and review.

Next chapter: We come into more familiar territory, as the movie truly begins. Dave's life hasn't really improved in five years. But, every new day is a new beginning. Dave is about to start the biggest adventure of his life.


	9. To the Day

To the Day:

Sometimes, Dave Stutlar did wonder if there was some reason why he always had to have the same dream about the two times that he had been to the Arcana Cabana the night before his birthday. He never dreamed of it on any other night of the year. Most other days of the year, he could put those events out of his mind easily enough, but on his birthday, it always seemed like there was another part of his life that could go wrong.

Dave turned twenty today. He was in his sophomore year of college at NYU, majoring in molecular physics. The traumatic events at the Arcana Cabana had driven him to seek out things that could be explained logically and with no question of magic lying behind it.

He awoke to the sound of his alarms (being the slightly OCD guy that he was, he had two alarms on: at his beside and the other ser on his wristwatch), only to find Tank's slobbery nose directly in his face. Tank was Dave's French bulldog. He was not what could be called smart or pretty by any stretch of the imagination. He also slept most of the day and drooled on everything. But Dave still loved him. He was one of only two friends he really had.

The other was Bennet, a biology major who Dave shared his New York apartment with. When Dave got up for breakfast, Bennet, who was watching TV, threw him a snack pack of cookies. "Here, catch. Happy Birthday."

"Thank you, Bennet." Said Dave, touched by the gesture, however small it might have been.

"You're up early." Bennet commented.

Dave stifled a groan as he sat down at the table in their tiny kitchen. "Professor Heiderman wants me to five a lecture to his physics 101 class." He explained, almost despairingly.

"Teaching long division to English majors?" said Bennet, almost skeptically.

"I know, right? It's at the peace crops."

Fortunately, Bennet had the perfect idea to snap Dave out of his gloom mood, or so he thought. "Hey, the bio nerds are getting drunk tonight." He said, with a great deal of enthusiasm. "And we invited cheerleaders from Princeton."

"Oh, so smart cheerleaders." Muttered Dave, not a little sarcastically. H couldn't help it. He knew that Bennet well. He was his friend, after all (his only real friend, besides Tank, which was a little pathetic when you thought about it), but he honestly didn't see partying as a form of relaxation.

"So, seriously, you're saying you don't want to go out on your birthday?" said Bennet, a little confused.

Dave had opened the drawers of his dresser to pull out some cleans socks, and he caught sight of the dragon ring which he had hidden for ten years. Quickly, he slammed the door shut before more memories could resurface. No, quite frankly, he didn't want to go out on his birthday. He didn't want to be reminded of what had happened all those years ago. But if he told Bennet that he knew that he wouldn't stop pestering him until he gave him the truth, so he came up with an excuse which was just as good as any. "I have to finish my Telsa coil project if I want to graduate."

That excuse wasn't good enough for Bennet. Shaking his head despairingly, he got to his feet and went over to the calendar on the refrigerator, which this month featured a picture of a pack of wolves. "Dave, are you familiar with the grey wolf?"

Dave groaned. "Oh no, Bennet, not this again with the grey wolf." He had only ever heard this lecture a thousand times, Bennet just inserted another animal. He knew that Bennet found his lack of social life disturbing, but honestly, did he have to beat it into the ground?

Bennet, as usual, ignored Dave's protests. "The grey wolf is a pack animal. He must hunt and grunt. He must find a mate. He must participate. You're gonna get booted out of the pack, alone, eaten, by a hungry bear."

"Well, that's a real-pick-me-up pep talk," said Dave, after a moment of rather unenthusiastic silence, "and I'm ready to go get the day."

* * *

That same day, Veronica Blake herself awoke to the realization that her long wait was finally over. She would finally be able to see Balthazar after ten years, and they both could begin training Dave. She knew that it probably wouldn't be that straight forward or simple, especially with what she had observed of Dave's character over the past ten years, but she was trying to be optimistic. Besides, after so many years of not seeing her husband, she was not going to let anything ruin this day.

She closed the Arcana Cabana for the day. Honestly, she was sure when she and Balthazar might be opening up for business again. She had the feeling that she and her husband were in for a hectic time.

Meanwhile, in an apartment across town that was owned by an elderly couple, the urn which they had bough a few years ago from a street side flea market, began to shake violently. It started in the early morning hours, and it continued throughout the day, increasing in intensity as the hours passed. It was almost as if the urn were possessed by otherworldly spirits. It would not have been that far from the truth for locked within the urn were two of the most powerful sorcerers the world had ever known. Their time was up, it was ten years to the day, and it was now a race against time to see who would be the first one out.

* * *

Dave had never been very good at turning a bad day into a good day. Some might have called him a fly-by-night pessimist. He preferred to think of himself as a realist. Thus when he arrived at the Peace Crops amidst a torrential rain storm, he didn't think that he that the rest of the day boded all that well.

He began to set up for the presentation. The students which were enrolled in Physics 101 began to arrive. They looked less then thrilled, and that might have been being generous. Dave could see that this was going to be a useless venture. Is his advisor hadn't asked him to do this, he would never have wasted his time.

The door opened as another student entered, and a gust of wind blew into the room, causing Dave's carefully organized notes to go flying across the floor and into the first couple rows of seats. Dave groaned. Great, another thing to make his day.

Grumbling and muttering, he started climbing over the chairs to collect his scattered notes. He was bending to gather up the last of the papers, and hadn't bothered to look and see if anyone was sitting in those seats. At least, until a musical female voice said, "Everything all right down there?"

Dave looked up. The first that that he saw was, well, a rather nice pair of legs that held his attention for a few seconds. Then his eyes traveled up to the face, and he immediately forgot about the legs (well, not completely), Dave had never had much luck with the opposite sex. Most girls tended to ignore him. The fact that this one had even acknowledged his existence was a miracle. "I-I should just leave, right?" said Dave, in frustration, once he had found his voice.

The petite, cute blond in front of him laughed and went back out her notes. Dave turned to leave, but at that moment, something clicked in his mind. Hadn't he seen this girl somewhere before? He looked back at her and stared for a few seconds. With a jolt, he suddenly realized who the person was.

Apparently sensing his eyes, she looked at him, slightly confused. Seeking to explain himself, but unable to tear his eyes away from her face, he said, "I'm sorry, but Becky, Becky Barnes?" She gave a slight nod, looking at him in the same confused manner. "Dave," he said, hoping that she would remember him, and of course, she didn't. If anything, her confusion deepened, and he really hoped that he didn't see a flash of worry in her eyes. "We were in fourth grade together?"

Becky's face finally showed signs of recognition. "I do remember you." she said, and Dave felt thrilled. But those feelings were dashed with her next words. "You're that that kid, what was place called, Arcana…"

"Arcana Cabana," Dave winced involuntarily at the words. Of course, she would remember him from the worst day of his life.

Becky saw his reaction. She almost wished that she hadn't brought it up. It was sort of an awkward moment for them both. "So, you transferred." She said, hoping to change the subject.

"Um, yeah. And got some help."

"Yeah, that was weird."

"Actually, it turns out it was just a glucose imbalance. Hallucinations, not uncommon in younger subjects." Dave couldn't help but be aware of how pathetic he sounded. His explanation sounded weak even to him.

There was no further time to catch up, as the class had begun. Dave wasn't sure if that was a curse or a blessing. He had never been able to get over Becky Barnes. He had to admit that though he hadn't seen her in ten years, he always seemed to compare her to every girl he had ever met. Ten years later and nothing had changed in their respective situations though. She was still awesome and pretty, he was still a dorky nerd. Dave knew that he couldn't fool himself. He had lost his chance with Becky ten years ago; why should he have thought that a second meeting would be any different?

* * *

Please read and review.

Next chapter: Dave tires to reestablish some sort of commincation with Becky, while Veronica watches and waits. Between the two sorcers in the urn, the struglle to be the first one out increases. Whichever one succeeds, this day will change Dave's life, forever.


	10. Reunion

Reunion:

The lecture ended, far too soon for Dave's liking. He wasn't even sure if he had made any sense, because he had been staring at Becky the whole time. Her eyes rose to meet his a couple of times, but for the most part, she had only looked bored.

Dave darted after her as soon as he could gather up all his stuff. He caught up with her just as she was leaving the building. As was typical of that time of year inNew York, it was pouring. Becky didn't have an umbrella, Dave did, though, and as they walked along, he held it more over her then himself. Honestly, he really didn't even notice that he was getting wet.

The two walked along the campus, exchanging what small talk they could while trying not to get drenched. "So, Becky, how are you enjoying Physics 101?" He inquired.

"My brain does not think physics." Said Becky with a smile.

Dave felt strangely relieved. At least it hadn't been him entirely that had made her bored. "What does it think then?"

"Music, mostly." Said Becky.

"Really, like what kinds?" asked Dave, glad that maybe he could find a common ground with Becky. He himself was tone deaf and was incapable of producing any kind of music, but he still had his favorite artists.

"Oh, all kinds." Said Becky, with evident enthusiasm. "Country, rock, classical. Pretty much anything that appeals to me. You should see my MP3 player. It has at least 500 songs that are all from different genres. I think that I am a little partial to classic music. But, that comes from the fact that my mom plays the violin in the Philharmonic."

"So, I guess that the Beatles would be out then?" said Dave, who knew next to nothing about classical music and was suddenly hoping that Becky wouldn't think that he was uncouth.

"No, I love the Beatles actually."

Dave was not a little relieved by this statement. The two of them talked about the Beatles for a few more minutes, until Becky said, "This is me."

They had stopped in front of the building that housed the college radio station. "Oh, wow, you work at the radio station." Said Dave, with genuine interest. "That's so cool."

"It's just college radio; like seven people listen to it."

"Well, I'll be listening. You can round the number up to eight."

Becky had to admit that she was a little touched by his words. There was such an earnest expression in his face that he actually seemed to mean it. She wondered if he was a bad liar, because it would be hard to lie with a face like that.

But Becky had no more time to be flattered, because suddenly a great flash of lightening tore through the sky, hitting the top most of the building which they were standing beside. The antennae on top started sparking and buzzing. "I think that's our antennae." Cried Becky, with alarm and hurried inside. She hadn't exactly invited him to follow, but then again, she hadn't said anything against it, either. So Dave followed her.

The small radio station was abuzz with activity. The antennae had indeed been hit by the lightening bolt, and they were no longer transmitting. Dave watched from the background for a couple of seconds, and felt his heart sink when he saw the dark-haired guy who intercepted Becky to tell her what was going on. He was everything that Dave wasn't: handsome, suave and charming. His only consolation was that Becky was more interested in trying to get the transmitter up and running then she was with receiving his attentions.

He waited in silence for a few seconds, until a thought suddenly occurred to him. He cleared his throat, and immediately all attention was focused on him. "Excuse me, but where does your manager keep his equipment."

A few minutes later, Dave was pressing a few buttons on a keypad, deftly striving to restore the signal. At last, he looked up at Becky and Andre, the guy who had first greeted her when they came in. "So, the good news is, you're still transmitting, but your return loss, way to high." Two blank faces stared at him and he realized that they had no idea what he was talking about. Realizing it might be best to forgo the explanation and simply get on with it, he pressed a few more buttons. "If I'm doing this right, we should be good." The music from the speakers blaring, an indication that they were back in business once more.

Andre hurried out to set everything back in order, but Becky lingered. The relief on her face was obvious. "Thank you so much."

"Oh, no, it's my pleasure. I can see that this means a lot to you."

"My show is like the one thing…" Becky trailed off. She really couldn't describe the effect that any music had upon her. She had loved music ever since she was a little girl, and ever since she had been able, she had pretty much tried to play every instrument that she could get her hands on. She had been better at other instruments then others, eventually deciding that the cello and her voice were her best talents. That didn't mean that she didn't still play the piano or the flute in her off hours.

Dave was probably not aware of any of this. But still, he could understand how Becky felt. He was, perhaps, one of the few who might have been able to understand that there were some things in life which were just a little bit more special then everything else. "Physics withme." was all he said.

Though these two were on seemingly opposite ends of the spectrum (from Dave's point of view, at least), yet in that moment, they felt a strange connection with the other, a connection which neither were really able to understand. However, for one second, it seemed as though nothing else that had happened before mattered. More importantly, for a moment, it seemed as though Dave might have the courage to ask her out, and Becky found herself hoping that he would do just that.

But, just as quickly as both had sensed it, the connection was gone, and Dave remembered that Becky would probably never look at him in that way. He gathered up his things, almost too quickly, and said, embarrassed, "Well, I have to go. It was nice seeing you again."

Becky was almost disappointed that he was leaving. She wondered for a moment if she had said or done something wrong. "Well, okay, bye."

However, despite himself, Dave did stop and turn at the door, saying, "I will be listening."

He left, too quickly to see the smile which sprang to Becky's face. She was naturally an optimistic person. And she began to hope that this wouldn't be the last time she would hear from Dave Stutler.

And as Dave left the radio station in the pouring rain, he did not see the Rolls Royce Phantom which was parked across the street, nor the dark-haired woman who was seated inside. Indeed, Dave was so caught up in his own emotions, that he didn't know he was being watched.

* * *

A few blocks from Dave's apartment, there was an old subway turn-around deep underneath the city streets. The turn-around served as Dave's own laboratory space, his professor had managed to arrange it for his use, when Dave had expressed an interest in Telsa coils. Two years later, and the lab had almost become a second home for Dave and Bennet. Besides all the equipment that Dave used for his Telsa coils, they also raided second-hand stores for the mismatched chairs and couch. There was a refrigerator and a small microwave off to one side. They even had a shower that the workers on the subway used to use.

Dave was now in the process of working on his Telsa coils, while Bennet was sitting on the steps which led from the street level down to the rough-cobbled stone floor over the turn-around. Dave had just finished relating the story of his reunion with Becky, and Bennet was being his usual supportive self. "You should have asked her out." he said, in exasperation.

"That's not the point." Said Dave, defensively, "She will remember me."

"She will remember me?" repeated Bennet, skeptically, "What are you, Braveheart?"

"Bennet, I missed my chance with this girl ten years ago. I can't do it again. Now get out of her before you get electrocuted."

Bennet left, muttering things under his breath that Dave couldn't hear, which was probably for the best. Dave, once alone, shut down the lights in the lab, and stepped into the metal cage which protected him from the plasma blasts. He hadn't forgotten his promise to Becky. As he got ready to work, he turned on the radio. Becky's voice floated through the speakers, announcing each song and the band with a fervor that Dave found more than a little endearing. He liked how enthusiastic Becky was about her music, beyond what she thought anyone else might think. Though he didn't know much about music, yet he found that listening to Becky made him understand it a little better.

And while he was listening, he began to notice something else. For two years, he had been working with the Telsa coils, trying to get them just right. He hadn't noticed another aspect of them that had really nothing to do with scientific pursuit. Eventually, he wasn't worrying about readouts anymore, but rather how the music and Telsa coils were forming an intricate whole that was breathtakingly beautiful. Science and music, two seemingly different elements, had found a common ground which made them more than they could ever be on their own. Dave perhaps didn't realize how much of an impact this realization would have upon his future, but he did begin to hope that, maybe, impossible as it seemed, there might be a chance for him to get the girl he had always dreamed of.

* * *

The couple had retreated to the far end of their living room, trying to get as far away from the urn as the space of their apartment allowed. The urn had been shaking and rattling violently for over an hour, and they were convinced that some terrible evil was at work inside of it.

"I don't understand why you had to buy this piece of junk." Said the husband, at last.

"Junk?" said the wife, in a frightened squeak. "It's an antique." She was trying to sound defensive, but she was almost inclined to agree with her husband.

"Antique?" he said, "It's a piece of junk from a flea market."

Before anything more could be said, the lid of the urn suddenly burst open and a great cloud of ash came swirling up out of the mouth. The couple nearly jumped out of their skins, watching in terror and horror as the cloud of ash swirled in the air for several seconds, before coming together and solidifying into the form of a man.

"Am I the first one out?" He asked, once he caught sight of the couple.

They were too stunned to make any answer in words. They merely stared open-mouthed at him, and then the wife fainted dead away.

But that told Maxim Horvath all he needed to know. "That's a yes." He declared, and turning to pick up the urn, he began carrying it to the window which opened magically at his command. "Our ten years are up, Balthazar. When I get the Grimhold back from young David, I'll tell him you said hello. Cheerio, Balthazar." He called cheerfully as he shoved the entire urn out of the window, and it began hurtling to the ground several stories below.

He might have done well to make sure of the success of his handiwork. Balthazar had lived for to many centuries to be crushed to death in an urn. As the urn fell faster and faster, he somehow managed to pull himself up and out in the night air. With only seconds left, he instinctively flung out his hand, grabbing hold of a stone parapet just in time. Below him, the urn crashed to the sidewalk and shattered into a thousand pieces.

Dangling above the city streets, trying to calm his racing heart, Balthazar barely managed to throw a cloak of invisibility around himself. If anyone saw him, that would no doubt lead to some rather awkward questions. Once he had managed to calm down from his near death experience, he pulled himself onto the parapet's ledge. Balancing precariously on the edge, he found an apartment window that was open and slipped through. From there, he made his way out into the streets ofNew York. He exited into the apartment building's central courtyard, but no sooner had he gone more then three paces, then he heard a voice behind him. "I can't say that I'm sorry to see that thing destroyed. It was more trouble then it was ever worth."

Balthazar stopped, and smiled. "If I recall rightly, it was your idea to hang onto that urn in the first place."

He turned around and saw Veronica leaning against the stone wall, eyeing him with a smile on her face. She looked lovely, as always. Her black hair was pulled back in a loose braid. She was wearing a dark burgundy shirt, tan boots and black boots. She also wore a leather coat that resembled Balthazar's, only it was lighter in color and stopped about mid-thigh.

She came towards him and said, "Yes, but you didn't try to stop me."

"And why is everything my fault?"

"It's easier for me to keep track."

Balthazar had been waiting ten years for this moment. He had hated the idea that he would have to leave Veronica alone again. He had done what was necessary to protect Dave, but that hadn't made it any easier. Being trapped in the urn with Horvath had not been the most pleasant of experiences. Now that he was finally free, he was just happy that Veronica was the first person that he saw.

He stepped forward and embraced her tightly. "I missed you, firefly."

Veronica laughed and returned the embrace. "Not half as much as I missed you, Balthazar."

They stayed that way for a moment or two, savoring being able to touch each other once more. But, as much as they would have liked to properly celebrate their reunion, they had more important things to attend too. Balthazar still remembered the Prime Merlinean, and that Horvath had threatened to go after him. "Veronica, the Prime Merlinean. I found him."

"Balthazar, I know. I've been looking out for him for the last ten years."

That really shouldn't have surprised Balthazar. He should have expected no less from Veronica. "So, he's alive?"

"Yes, though it's been touch and go sometimes."

"Then we need to hurry. Horvath got out first."

"Of course he did, that would be just like him. Come on, Balthazar. We need to get to the Chrysler building. I'll tell you what I can along the way."

* * *

New Yorkwas a city of skyscrapers. Most of them had little that could be counted really special from each other. But there were some skyscrapers inNew Yorkwhich stood out as true works of art. And perhaps the most well-known and beloved was theChryslerBuilding. The skyscraper, built in the thirties, blended the neo-classicism or one era with the steel and chrome of the modern age. There was a great deal of history associated with the Chrysler Building, but a great deal of that history was hidden from the view of the regular public, for it was a history steeped in magic. Ever since it's opening in 1930, it had been the central stronghold of Merlinean magic inNew York. It was here that the Circle met for their council sessions, as well where the members and their aides had their offices. It was also a place where many apprentices began their training. It was a place which held more than a few treasures and secrets in the mythos of Merlinean magic in theUnited States.

Veronica and Balthazar were drawn to the building from the start, though they were not official members of the Circle that was set up in New York. Not only did the building have stunning architecture, but it was more what had been built into the 61st floor. On the four corners of the observation deck, four steel eagles stood watching the points of the compass. These eagles were more than just expertly wrought works of art. They were the first line of defense for theChryslerBuilding. When they had first been built, they had been enchanted to be almost semi-sentient. They somehow understood that it was the magic of the Merlineans which had given them this awareness, and so they were unfailingly loyal to the order. Their eyes were keen and far seeing. They could see trouble approaching, and warn of its approach.

One of these eagles had become attached in its own way to Balthazar and Veronica. They had been all up and down the west coast on its back, and it had proved to be a dependable and steadfast companion in their journeys. They were need of its services now. If they were to come to Dave's aid in time, they would need a method of transportation that was swift and sure. There wasn't much that better fit that category then an eagle, stone or otherwise.

As they emerged onto the observation deck, Veronica had just finished explaining what had happened with Dave over the last ten years. It was a very shortened version, but it touched on the most important points. "And, so with everything that has ever gone on in is life, I'm afraid that he wants nothing to do with magic." She finished.

"That will make things harder. But we don't have much choice. Since Horvath is after him, he's about to get a crash course in the way the world really works."

"Than I think we know the way to go with this."

Balthazar grinned and Veronica returned it. They both had the same idea. Together, they placed their hands on the steel eagle. Their separate rings began to glow with power and a wave of energy passed over the sculpture's surface. A few seconds later, the eagle's eyes seemed to take on a life of their own. It shook its great head and let loose a long, high cry. The chase was on.

* * *

Please read and review.

Next chapter: With Balthazar and Horvath back in the picture, you can be sure that only trouble will follow. But when the eagle lands, Dave learns that there is more to the world then he thought, and he will have to make the choice whether to embrace his gift or not.


	11. The Eagle has Landed

The Eagle has Landed:

It was late by the time that Dave got back to the apartment. The darkness indicated that Bennet had left for his wild party. He was somewhat relieved by this. After the day he had had, the last thing he needed was for Bennet to try and persuade him that he needed to get out and experience life. He just wanted a little peace and quiet to himself.

Unfortunately, that wouldn't be happening. The darkness of the apartment was hiding the fact that Dave was not as alone as he would have liked to be.

At first, Dave didn't realize that anything was amiss, until he opened the first refrigerator door and saw something hanging on the door. He started with surprise when he saw that it was a history report that he had written on Napoleon Bonaparte ten years ago, the very day he had he had…

Ice terror stabbed through him and the next moment, a chilling voice confirmed that all of his worst nightmares had come back to haunt him. "I thought a B- was generous."

Dave nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard that evil voice. He whirled around and his heart nearly stopped beating. Seated across the room, hidden by the shadows, was a man dressed in clothing that resembled something from the 1920's. He held an elegantly carved black cane in one hand, with a knob of blue crystal set into its top. It was the cane more then anything that had lingered in Dave's memory. He couldn't speak, his mouth had gone dry and he could hear his heart hammering in his ears.

There was pure murder in Horvath's eyes. It was evident that this was not a pleasant reunion for him. "I was just recently released from a ten-year sentence, during which the only reading material available to me was your so-called report on Napoleon Bonaparte from your school bag. Your analysis was obvious, your prose was weak."

Dave really didn't know where this was going. Had this crazy sorcerer come back just to criticize him for his history report? If there was another reason, he didn't really want to know what it might be. "I was nine."

"Irrelevant. I've come for the Grimhold." Dave had to try and remember what the Grimhold was, before the image of the doll from which Horvath had emerged, the doll he had thrown into the street in a fit of mad terror. "The doll held something very powerful, something very important to me. You were the last one to have it, I want it back."

Did Horvath really think that he would have held onto that thing? Well, yes, apparently he did, as crazy as that seemed to Dave. His face was clearly serious; he was convinced that he still had it somewhere and he wouldn't be taking no for an answer.

"I threw it in the street." He said, uneasily and frightened.

Horvath clearly didn't believe him. "Where's the Grimhold?" He asked yet again, the question as insistent as a death knell.

"It was a long time ago. I don't actually know where it is."

Horvath, at last, lost patience. His eyes grew angry. One hand lashed out, calling one of the stake knives which Bennet had carelessly left on the table into his grip. "I'll cut the truth out of you." He growled menacingly.

That was all Dave needed to see. He turned and ran for his life. His escape might have been more effective (and more impressive), if he had actually remembered to open the door. With his luck, of course, he ran full into it and nearly broke his nose. Even fleeing from a psycho sorcerer, Dave couldn't escape his clumsiness. Adrenaline, however, is an amazing thing Dave managed to recover, fling the door open and race out of the room.

Horvath didn't give chase right away. He lingered in the apartment, noticing the picture that was on the calendar on the table. "Sweet." He murmured. Yes, these would do just fine.

Halfway down the steps, Dave saw a flash of light out of the corner of his eye. He turned back to look at the door of his apartment, only to hear the growls of some sort of wild animal issuing from the room, and Horvath's' cold command to them to hunt him down. He then saw a flash of several grey and black, fur-covered bodies. The demonic flowing of red eyes and the flashing of bared teeth followed quickly. "Wolves." He squeaked in terrified disbelief and bolted for the door.

The wolves, controlled by Horvath's' magic, were now turned against their regular nature. Most wolves run from humans rather then confront them, but these wolves were hunting hum ruthlessly, and they wouldn't allow any obstacles to stand in their way.

They pursued Dave out of the building and up the steps to the nearby subway station. Dave barely had time to scramble through the revolving bars and hide underneath the subway tracks. The wolves were momentarily stopped by the obstacle of the gate, but not for long. Horvath appeared, opening the door to the main station platform without bothering to actually push it himself. The way was made clear for the canine hunters, who paced around the platform, sniffing wildly and trying to track down his scent.

Dave was trapped and he knew it. He didn't know how he ws going to get out of this one. He wasn't given much chance to think of it, because all too quickly, the wolves spotted him. Growling, they advanced, white fangs glinting. Dave tried to run, but tripped over his own feet (again) and landed hard on the tracks.

Up above them, Horvath gave his command to the wolves in an almost bored tone, as though cold-blooded murder was something he did every day. "Kill him."

The wolves had only been waiting for his word. They leapt forward, teeth bared and snarling. Dave screamed, as he faced the vicious attack of… puppies? The creatures which landed on his chest were not the bloodthirsty savage creatures which had been pursuing him, but fluffy, cute puppies. Dave opened his eyes when he heard their cute snuffling squeaks. "Puppies?" He questioned, obviously very confused. Was this part of the sorcerer's plan, to cute him to death?

But a quick glance at Horvath showed that this latest event clearly wasn't what he had intended. He hadn't turned those wolves into puppies. In fact, there was probably only one person, or two who would have been able… At that very instant, Horvath was knocked off his feet, onto the tracks, by a massive unseen force from above him. Dave, for the second time that evening, felt his eyes go as wide as two dinner plates. Would these surprises never end? First an evil sorcerer was chasing him with rabid wolves, now the two sorcerers he remembered from the day he turned ten and fifteen had just shown up on an eagle, a steel eagle that faintly resembled ones he had seen on the Chrysler building.

However, Dave had to admit that he was almost relieved. Ideally he wouldn't have wanted to encounter anymore of these hyped up magicians. But given the choice between Balthazar and Horvath, he rather preferred to have them on his side at the moment plus, their entrance was pretty impressive. Veronica and Balthazar were riding upon the back of an awesome eagle. Though steel, its movements were graceful and supple, each individual feather glistening silver and black. There was no clanking of steel against steel, no awkwardness that might have been expected from a creature that had originally been a statue. Had it not been for the size, Dave could have sworn he was looking at the real thing.

Dave was momentarily too speechless to say anything, which gave Balthazar the chance to say. "Where's the doll, Dave?"

Before Dave could respond (for what seemed the umpteenth time that night), that he no longer had it, Veronica said, with almost a touch of impatience, "Balthazar, haven't you been listening to anything I've been saying? Dave doesn't have the Grimhold. Why on earth should he have kept it? Focus on the important things, like actually getting out of here."

"Whatever you say, Veronica." Balthazar then turned to Horvath, who had managed to recover himself. He was on his feet, the blue jewel in his can beginning to glow. Balthazar threw a time displacement spell at him, slowing Horvath down to nearly 1/20 of his normal speed.

Meanwhile, Veronica leapt lightly onto the tracks and began to help Dave to his feet. They had to hurry, because a blaring horn announced that a train was about to pull into the station.

"Come on, you two," hurried Balthazar, "get up here."

Dave balked at the immense eagle, especially when he realized just what the two sorcerers were planning on doing. "I get nervous riding on planes." He exclaimed.

"Well, today's your lucky day." Quipped Balthazar, "Because I brought an eagle."

"It's either the eagle or getting smashed by the wheels of an oncoming subway, Dave, it's your choice." Said Veronica, though by her firm, yet gentle pushing, Dave didn't think that they were giving him much of a choice. With Veronica's help, Dave was able to scramble onto the steel eagle. Veronica charmed the fluffy puppies back to calendar pictures (another sign of Merlinean magic: they hated seeing living creatures come to harm, even if they were merely pictures that had started out as vicious hunters). Balthazar called a nearby piece of newspaper to fly up and cover the train window, so that the driver couldn't see the huge, hulking eagle in the middle of the track.

Once they were all three onboard, the eagle spread its massive wings and took off. Seconds later, the subway came thundering over the very spot where they had been. Veronica turned to look back, only to see that Horvath had been freed from the spell at the very last moment and had somehow managed to jump onto the station out of harm's way just in time.

"How inconvenient." She observed, "He survived."

"Were you expecting anything else from him?" questioned Balthazar, who was piloting the eagle back towards the Chrysler Building.

Dave, now that he was out of harm's way, was beginning to comprehend just who these people were that had helped him. One had been involved in a traumatic incident at the age of ten, which had permanently scarred him, and at fifteen when his father had gotten into a car accident and been paralyzed. Neither of those images was particularly palatable to him. Plus, they were flying hundreds of feet above New York, on an eagle, made of steel, without seat belts. Perhaps, Dave's feelings of suddenly being very sick were somewhat understandable.

A few more minutes later, they landed somewhat jarringly for Dave's tastes, though Balthazar and Veronica took it all in stride. The steel eagle landed on the observatory deck of the Chrysler Building. Dave scrambled off, and retreated away a couple of steps. He finally managed to find his voice, though what came out was less then eloquent. "This is not happening, this is not happening. I taste sour in my mouth."

"Easy, Dave." Said Balthazar, as he was stroking the eagle's beak, "Slow, deep breaths."

Veronica came over to him. "Dave, are you all right?" she asked, as she placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "You've had a pretty busy evening."

"How can you stand there and say that so calmly?" asked Dave, in disbelief. "Didn't you see what happened? I nearly got killed by all this magical nonsense, again! Why can't you people leave me alone?"

"If Balthazar and I had left you alone this evening, you would have died. So, I think you should be thanking us before you accuse us."

Dave was about to retort, when he noticed that Balthazar was guiding the eagle back to it's normal resting place on the southwest side of the Chrysler Building. The eagle walked delicately on the iron railing, as though it were the branch of some great tree. It then hopped down to settle itself along the corner of the building. Its body joined with the building, as did its wings. The light on its head went on, and the rest of the body and beak became still.

Dave couldn't believe what he was seeing. "What you're doing goes against all the rules of science."

"Everything we do is perfectly within the laws of science." Said Balthazar, as he finished rearranging the eagle. "You just don't know all the rules yet."

Veronica went to pick up a pigeon which had been startled by the landing, and was now cooing with derision at its nighttime rest being so rudely interrupted. "There, there, little one," she soothed, "everything will be all right."

Dave was now in the midst of an emotional breakdown and he couldn't understand why no one was paying attention to the fact. "No, no, no. you cannot be doing this to me again. Do you have any idea what my life has been like for the last ten years?"

"I've been stuck in an urn for the last ten years." said Balthazar, in a maddeningly logical voice.

"So have I, a figurative urn of ridicule. Are you aware that in some parts of the Tri-state area, they still refer to having a nervous breakdown as pulling a David Stutler, did you know that?"

"Dave, I've been tracking your movements for the last ten years, and I've never come across that." said Veronica, "I know that you've been scarred by magic from your early experiences, but stop exaggerating. It won't help you."

"See, that's another thing. You've been stalking me. I never have had a moment's peace from you."

Veronica rolled her eyes, hopelessly. There was no way that she was going to be able to get through to him Dave. _"You talk to him." _she told Balthazar, telepathically, _"He'll listen to you more then me. I have to get this message out to Roger so I can tell him what's happened."_

Balthazar had given Dave Merlin's ring. That act had created a bond between them, though Dave had been unaware of it. That meant that Balthazar's words would have a bit more staying power with Dave. Plus, Balthazar took a bit more of a sterner edge with things. He didn't sugarcoat the issue, but told the facts as they were. Right now, that was probably the best way of handling Dave.

"Try to be a good listener, Dave. That doll is called the Grimhold. It is a prison for the most dangerous Morganians in history. Horvath wants to free his fellow Morganians and destroy the world." Balthazar emphasized his next words carefully, trying to get the full force of the seriousness of the situation as clearly as possible. "This must not happen."

Though Dave still thought this whole thing to be crazy, he had to admit that Balthazar's stern demeanor had his attention. He didn't want to believe it, but he wasn't sure if he could so easily dismiss it now. "Yeah, for sure."

At least he had gotten Dave to actually calm down enough to listen, observed Veronica with relief. That was more than she had been able to do. Having finished tying her message to the bird's leg, she carefully instructed it to Roger's place of residence in New York (though Veronica didn't have the some power over animals that Miranda had developed over the years, she could still communicate with them one some level, especially when it came to birds). Roger Ventura would want to be informed of Balthazar's release, as well as the fact that Horvath was at large in the city.

She turned her attention back to her husband, as Balthazar approached Dave. Stopping front of him, and speaking to him in that same earnest tone that he had nearly ten years before, he said, "The truth is, you have a very special gift. You need to see that."

"I just want to be normal." Protested Dave, feebly, "Normal life."

"And tell me, Dave," said Veronica, "Just how normal has your life ever been?"

"Look, I just want to forget those days at the Arcana Cabana, I want to forget about magic, I want to forget about everything."

"_And yet, why on earth did he hand onto Merlin's ring all this time?"_ asked Veronica.

"_Good idea, let's ask him."_ Out loud, Balthazar said, "You should duck."

Dave turned to ask why he should do that, only to see his dresser come flying at him from seemingly nowhere. He barely had time to follow Balthazar's advice to avoid getting smashed.

"You want to forget about magic?" Balthazar demanded as he strode over to the dresser and took the ring from the top drawer. "Then why did you keep the ring?"

Why, indeed. Dave found himself wondering just _why_ he had kept the ring. He had come close to throwing it away several times, but something always stayed his hand. Something had made him keep the dragon ring close by him for ten years. Why? Well, as Dave thought about it, the only answer he could think of was that he wasn't able to forget the two sorcerers entirely; he couldn't allow himself to forget the only two people who had ever seen any potential in him, besides his parents. Perhaps, there had always been some part of him, however much he might have been unaware of it, that didn't want just a normal life, that wanted something more.

However, he wasn't going to give Balthazar or Veronica the satisfaction of admitting that, so he said, rather lamely, "I was going to sell that on eBay, I just never really…"

"You're still a bad liar, Dave. I like that about you. It's a good sign. You have the Gift."

"No, I have a life."

Veronica could see that this wasn't going anywhere. Balthazar might have gotten him to listen a little, but Dave just didn't seem to want to take the risk. He needed to actually experience it for himself. If he actually managed to harness his magic, to see that he could control it without it controlling him, he wouldn't be so afraid. A different tact was needed, for she remembered what Elise had said, and why she hadn't gone out to find the Grimhold herself after all these years: it would only be in finding the Grimhold that the Prime Merlinean would be able to find his true potential.

"Dave, you were the last person to have the Grimhold. That puts you on his list. He won't stop until he finds it. Even if he were to believe your words that you don't have it, he'll just kill you to keep you from telling anyone else where it might."

"She's right, Dave. You're next in Horvath's sights. So, if you want him to turn you into a pig who just loves physics, you'd better help me find it before he does."

"You help us find it, you're done. You can walk away." Said Veronica.

This hadn't exactly been what Balthazar had had in mind. "Was I implying that it would be best to give him a choice?"

"Well, do you have a better idea? What were you going to do, lock him in a dungeon someplace until he started listening to you?"

"That thought had occurred to me, but I thought you would have some objection to it."

"Of course, I have some objection to cruel and unusual punishment."

"It's better than your idea, Veronica. And since when do you find my company to be cruel and unusual punishment?"

"Ever since I've been married to you for all this time."

"Uh, hey, you guys," said Dave, as they seemed to have forgotten him in their little spat, "Do I really need to be here for this?"

Balthazar finally conceded veronica. She had been watching over Dave when he hadn't been able to. Perhaps, she knew a little bit more about how to convince him to take this necessary step then he would. Besides, he may have had the main task of training Dave (and he was still confidant that he would be doing that), but the quest had been entrusted to both of them. He needed to let Veronica have some say as well.

"Fine. You help us get the Grimhold back, and you can go back to your normal, boring life."

Dave wasn't exactly sure how he could be relieved by that, but at least he could get back to his life once this night was over. "Will you put my dresser back?" He asked, almost hesitantly.

Balthazar made no answer besides an ironic twist of his mouth, before turning away and climbing up on one of the steel eagles. Veronica, however, came up to the dresser, waved her hand at it and it instantly vanished. She turned back to Dave, who was more than a little shocked at seeing his huge dresser disappear with a mere gesture. "It will be right back where it normally is when you get back." She said, reassuringly.

"Uh, thanks?"

"You might want to hold onto that ring, though." Said Veronica, "You're going into a magical situation. You might as well make use of the gifts you have to protect you, even if you never use them again."

"Oh, right." said Dave, who really wasn't looking forward to this. "What is that guy doing?" He asked, as he noticed Balthazar on top of the steel eagle. Off in the distance, a dark rain cloud appeared over the city, localized over one spot. The night had been clear; this cloud was obviously not a normal rain cloud. "What is that?"

"It's my Grimhold tracking device." Said Balthazar, "Bio-metric pressure spell stirs up the atmosphere over the Grimhold." He took one moment to approximate the cloud's position. "Looks like Downtown."

"To be exact," said Veronica, "Chinatown."

* * *

Please read and review.

Next chapter: The celebration is in full swing at Chinatown. And what better way to add to the lights and confetti, then unleashing a full-fledged battle between Morganian and Merlinean sorcerers right in the middle of the festivities?


	12. Chinatown

Chinatown:

As Balthazar, Dave and Veronica emerged from the Chrysler Building, Balthazar was telling Dave, "If we can track the Grimhold, so can Horvath. We have to hurry."

"Why can't we just take the eagle?" asked Dave a bit sourly since he still wasn't all into this a hundred percent.

"To high profile for a trip Downtown." Said Balthazar, before turning to his wife, "Veronica, you didn't happen to bring the-" He stopped mid-sentence when he saw the Phantom which was parked outside of the Chrysler Building.

"I thought you might want to take her out for a spin after such a long time." said Veronica, with a smile, "Don't worry, I took good care of her."

Dave stared at the car in slight disbelief. Even if he knew nothing about cars himself, he knew that the Rolls-Royce Phantom was one of the most luxurious cars ever built. It was the type of car that movie stars and mob bosses owned in the movies. "This is low-profile?" he questioned, skeptically.

"Oh, get in, Dave, and stop worrying." Said Balthazar, as he got in the driver's side. He waved his hand at the dash. The engine roared to life, and Balthazar smiled at the car affectionately. "She missed me." he said, almost tenderly.

Dave and Veronica got into the car, and the Phantom sped off through the streets of New York. Once they had gone a little ways, Balthazar spoke to Dave. "I'm going to give you the basics, strictly Sorcery 101, put on the ring."

Dave seemed extremely reluctant to obey. After all, he couldn't help but remember the last time that he had put on the ring he had almost died. "Nothing's going to happen." Balthazar reassured him.

"Really?" said Dave, who didn't seem to share his certainty. However, he did put on the ring, and no sooner had he done so then Balthazar jerked the wheel hard to the left, forcing the Phantom into oncoming traffic and pulling it back into the right lane again just as sharply. Veronica yelped with surprise and Dave cried out in fear. "Kidding." Said Balthazar, as if it were a great joke.

"Balthazar, you idiot!" said Veronica, "Are you deliberately trying to kill us?"

"It's been ten years, Firefly. I'm just putting her through her paces."

"If there's one thing I didn't miss about you, dearest, it's your erratic driving habits." She turned to Dave, "Lesson Number I, Dave: when my husband says nothing will happen, you can be sure that something always will."

"That's reassuring, thank you." muttered Dave.

"Veronica, please your distracting my student. Dave, you've heard how people use only ten percent of their brains?" When Dave nodded, Balthazar continued, "Sorcerers can manipulate matter because they're born with the capability to use the entire power of their brain."

Veronica could see that Dave was trying very hard to keep up. She could understand that. After all, Dave was getting in about five minutes what had taken them the first five years of their training to even grasp. She had to give him credit, though, he seemed to understand. "It explains why molecular physics comes so easily to you." She said, "I've been following your progress over the years, and I think that seeing might be your strongest sense."

"Well, I normally can look at a graph or a picture of something, and I tend to understand it pretty well." said Dave, "I can also remember it, but what does that have to do with magic?"

"Quite a lot, actually, especially with beginners like you, who are just learning to pick up magic. It's like how some people learn best with hearing orally or tactilely with their hands. It you can see the energy that's in everything, you'll be able to manipulate it."

"Is that even possible?"

"Of course it is, but like any other process, it takes practice and you have to know how to do it."

"So, is sorcery science or magic?"

"Yes, and yes." Said Balthazar, without hesitation, "For right now, all you need is a basic combat spell, making fire." They had come to a stop light at this point. Across the street, a police officer was filling a ticket for a car that had been parked on the street for to long. "What causes molecules to heat up?"

"They vibrate."

"Everything we see if in a constant of vibration, that's what fives the illusion of solidity, but how do we take that which appears solid, and make it burst into flames, we will the vibrations to go faster. Step one, clear your mind. Step two, see the molecules. Step three, make them shake." The ring on Balthazar's hand glowed for a brief second, and the ticket which the police officer had put on the car's windshield suddenly burst into flames. "Got it?"

"No, I definitely don't got it." said Dave, who was hopelessly confused by this point.

"Trust the ring, Dave." Said Balthazar, as they stared moving again. "And try to keep it subtle; civilians mustn't know that magic exists. That would be complicated."

"Says the guy in the 350 year old trench coat." Muttered Dave, sarcastically.

"It's actually only 100 years old, Dave." Veronica put in. "I always throw out the clothes that are any older."

"She's very persistent about that rule." Said Balthazar, "I sometimes try to hide my clothes, but she always finds them."

Dave looked from one to the other. How could they be bantering like that so easily in a situation like this was beyond him. In fact, he had been so preoccupied earlier that he hadn't actually noticed the way that Balthazar and Veronica were behaving with each other. In the way they spoke and moved, they seemed to be connected in a way that he had never seen in any couple. They could probably be described as two halves of a whole.

However, that didn't entirely banish his worry about this whole event. Their banter may have showed that they had been doing this thing for a long time, but it also showed that both of them were more than a little crazy. To be quite honest, he really didn't know what to expect. But, it was too late to back out now. He could only hope that he would be able to get out of this alive.

* * *

A great festival was taking place in Chinatown. Dozens of paper lanterns were strung above the streets, casting a glow down upon the people who were watching the parade. Dancers with many colored streamers, musicians playing drums and flutes. Paper confetti fell from windows above onto the parade route, littering the ground in a layer of brightly colored snow. Through all this went the greatest attraction of the parade: a paper dragon, brightly hued in orange, yellow, and red, that undulated and moved as though it were alive. It was an atmosphere of revelry and festivity, where anything seemed possible, even the lightest touch of magic.

Yes, even in this festive atmosphere, Dave could not feel entirely at ease. He was still questioning the choice which his sanity had made in going along with this whole thing. It didn't help that Balthazar had said Horvath was most likely on his trail. He kept expecting to see Horvath every second. Balthazar and Veronica seemed perfectly calm, a fact that annoyed Dave no end. Had he known how many long years it took to gain that kind of control, he might have thought differently. In truth, both of the sorcerers were on high alert, scanning the crowds for threatening signs of magic or Morganian sorcerers. They could sense a tension in the air, an undercurrent of threat, there could be no doubt that Horvath was near.

At last, they stopped underneath the cloud that was still hanging over the Chinese antiques shop. "This is it." said Balthazar, "Veronica and I going to get the Grimhold. Keep an eye out for Horvath."

"And try not to get into trouble." Said Veronica, as the two of them disappeared into the ship, leaving a very nervous Dave behind them.

The two of them went up the stars to the doors of the shop, which were shut and locked. That, of course, was no obstacle to the sorcerers. Normally, they wouldn't condone breaking and entering, but this was a special occurrence.

Inside was a fairly typical Chinese shop, with antiques and other sundry items. There was no sign of the Grimhold, hardly surprising. There was probably no way that the store owner knew the true nature of the trinket that she had picked up from the streets ten years ago. Balthazar and Veronica fanned out around the store, casting out their powers to see if the Grimhold was concealed behind anything.

They had only been searching for a few seconds when they heard someone approaching from behind them. An elderly Chinese lady appeared from the back of store, leaning on a cane. "May I help you?" She asked.

"Oh, we're sorry to disturb you." said Balthazar.

"Do you have an appointment?" Inquired the woman.

"No, but my husband and I saw your store and we thought that you would have exactly what we were looking for." Said Veronica.

"What exactly did you have in mind?" said the lady.

"My wife and I are looking for, well, it seems very unusual, it's a nesting doll, so big, picture of an angry Chinese gentleman on the front."

"It's possible." She said, as she moved past them and began to look at her merchandise. "I collect so many objects."

It might have been difficult even for other sorcerers to detect the deception. The mask of another person was so well placed that even Balthazar and Veronica had been fooled for a moment. But, there was something about the woman which simply wasn't normal. That aura was unmistakable.

"Your hair is beautiful." Commented Balthazar, in fluent Chinese

The woman turned around and said, "You speak Mandarin?"

That confirmed it. Balthazar grinned and looked like he was about to respond, but the next moment, he called a plasma bolt into his hands and blasted the Chinese woman across the room. She crashed into the door, sliding to the floor, dazed.

"Considering how much time you spent in China," said Veronica, "I would have thought that you would have picked up on the differences between the dialects."

"That was Cantonese, Horvath." Said Balthazar.

The Chinese woman's face and body melted away, looking disturbingly as if she were turning herself inside out. They were replaced by Horvath's cold black eyes. "Languages were never my forte."

"Where's the Grimhold?" Balthazar demanded.

"An old associate of mine speaks impeccable Cantonese." Said Horvath, easily, "He lived about two hundred years ago."

While he was speaking, behind Balthazar and Veronica, a great cloud of butterflies appeared from seemingly nowhere. They came together, and solidified into the shape of a broad-shouldered Chinese man, of imposing height and build. His eyes were a chillingly cold blue, and the ends of his fingers had long, metal-like claws. His movements were graceful, lithe and dangerous. He focused on Veronica and Balthazar, two people he knew well, and that he had no found memories of, for good reason.

"I'm sure that both of you remember him? Sun Lok. Of course you do, you locked him inside the Grimhold." Horvath held up one of the halves of the empty Grimhold, a devilish smile on his face. "Oops, open it."

"Balthazar, look out!" cried veronica, as she looked behind her and saw that Sun Lok had called several dozen of the acupuncture needles that had been lying in glasses around the shop, and he had them aimed directly at the two of them.

Balthazar looked around at the warning, just in time to see the dozens of lethal needles come flying towards him and Veronica. He and Veronica barely had time to duck beneath their coats, which had been magically reinforced to ward off such projectiles. The needles flew through the air and buried themselves into the materiel. But Balthazar was faster then Sun Lok in launching a second assault. No sooner had he sensed that the weapons had stopped, then he turned quick as lightening and threw a plasma bolt at Sun Lok. The blast knocked Sun Lok through the window to the street below.

"Balthazar, Dave." Said Veronica, as she hurried to the window.

Below them, Sun Lok had crashed into a crowd of onlookers though surprised by the sudden appearance from out of nowhere of this weird-looking person. But, that was the essence of Chinese festivals, so they all applauded anyway, including Dave, who was more freaked out then any of them. He did try to act like he was an ordinary bystander. Unfortunately, he didn't have a very convincing performance. He quickly quailed under Sun Lok's cold eyes.

"Dave," said Balthazar, from the window above them, "you should run."

"Right now." Added Veronica, rather emphatically.

Dave didn't need to be told twice. He turned tail and began to run through the crowd as fast as his legs could carry him. But Sun Lok didn't give chase. The Chinese sorcerer never did what was expected in a situation; that was what made him such a dangerous opponent.

Instead of pursuing Dave, Sun Lok saw the red and orange dragon that was parading through the streets. He knew what to do. The dragon which was encircling his waist suddenly began to ripple and more. In response to the commands from his magic, the paper dragon suddenly grew smoky grey scales. Its head grew solid and massive, with sharp horns spiraling from its head. Its legs, instead of those of the people who were inside the dragon, grew thick and scaly, with lethal-looking claws. The dragon which had been swirling with color, as though it were alive, had indeed become a real dragon, right down to a mouth filled with sharp teeth and the breath of fire.

It took a few moments for the transformation to be noticed by the crowds of people. Dave didn't even see it, until he stumbled right in front of the creature. The dragon cast its eyes on Dave and immediately recognized its prey. Dave saw the monster growling at him, and became even more frightened then he had been before. The dragon let loose a roar, Dave screamed and the chase was on. Dave pushed his way through the crowds, and when the dragon came after him, the throng realized that the dragon had somehow come to life. Panic spread through crowd, and people began to run and scream.

Up above, Veronica and Balthazar had witnessed this whole thing. Morganian sorcerers didn't worry whether or not they revealed the existence of magic, or whether innocent bystanders were injured. Balthazar and Veronica, though, had a greater responsibility to protect the innocent. Luckily, the abundance of paper confetti at any Chinese festival gave them the perfect material to do that.

The two sorcerers picked up handfuls of the brightly colored paper and blew on them. Instantly, the entire street was engulfed with such a dense cloud of confetti, it was impossible to see anything. No on who afterwards tried to describe in detail what happened in Chinatown would have been able to remember what exactly happened or what they saw. That was exactly what Veronica and Balthazar wanted. They needed to get down there and help Dave. But before that could happen, they needed to get the Grimhold back from Horvath. Speaking of which…

Veronica turned around, only to see that the Morganian sorcerer was gone. "Balthazar," said Veronica.

Balthazar looked around, then at Veronica. "Don't look at me like that. I thought you were watching him."

From behind one of the doors, Horvath hid. He thought that he had given them the slip. But after so many years of fighting against each other, it was wise to never trust appearances. Hiding behind the wall, he didn't notice the beaded curtain that was hanging from the door frame was starting to snake around him. Until, at least, it was too late. Before he could react, the lines of beads had tied his hands and feet together. He was jerked from his hiding place into the door frame. Balthazar and Veronica stood there, their hands pointed at the curtain.

"Be still." Balthazar commanded, and Horvath really didn't have much choice to obey.

Veronica manipulated the snaking beads to wrap around Horvath's cane and jerk it from his grasp. That rendered him essentially defenseless and left Balthazar free to call the Grimhold to his hand. With Horvath firmly tied for the moment, and the Grimhold back in their protection, they had no reason to stick around. They both jumped out of the ruined window and into the sea of confetti alone.

On the street, chaos reigned. People were running in every direction, screaming and shouting in a mixture of Chinese and English. They could make out the fact that no one knew exactly what was going on, which was for the best. But, now they faced the problem of finding Dave, which might prove to be easier said then done.

However, after only a few minutes, they heard him calling their names above the noise. "He sounds rather panicked." Said Veronica, as they hurried towards the sound.

"I think any person would be in his situation." Said Balthazar, and he was right. The dragon had chased Dave into a building, and Dave was now perching on the fire escape on the fourth floor. He looked utterly terrified, as though he had avoided several near death that night, which he had.

The dragon was climbing up the building, coming closer and closer. It wouldn't be long before he caught up to him. Balthazar stopped in front of the building. "Veronica, wait." He called to his wife, who had started to go into the building.

"Balthazar, what are you doing? We have to help him."

"Let's give him the chance to try and get out of this on his own."

Veronica reluctantly stepped back, realizing what Balthazar was getting at. After ten years of protecting Dave, it was hard to step back and let someone else take over. But if Dave was to ever realize his true potential, he needed this moment. Veronica then saw that Sun Lok had cleared a small circle around himself, and was now looking at Dave's pathetic attempt to get away from this dragon with smug amusement. Like any Morganian, he liked seeing ordinary humans suffer because of magic.

Dave was trying in vain to shoot some sort of fireball at the dragon, which was climbing menacingly up the building's side. At that moment, Balthazar and Veronica appeared in their own little circle of clarity. "You skipped the first step." He shouted up to Dave, "Clear your mind."

"Right, first step." Muttered Dave. But before he could do that, the dragon let loose another roar and made a grab at Dave with one of its clawed paws. Dave screamed. Here he was standing on top of a rickety fire escape ladder, while a dragon was trying to barbecue him for a snack, and Balthazar wanted him to do a Zen session? "Clear my mind? Are you insane?"

Balthazar seemed to take a moment to think on this, before he held up on hand, his thumb and forefinger about an inch apart.

"You kind of have to be in this business." Said Veronica.

"Great," muttered Dave, who felt pretty sure that he was going to die. The dragon came closer, his black eyes murderously fixed on Dave.

Dave pointed his fist at the dragon, trying one last time to make it work. Below him, Balthazar and Veronica watched him with bated breath. "This is it." said Balthazar, softly, "Clear your mind, believe."

Dave may or may not have heard these words, but in those crucial few seconds, something amazing happened. There had always been a small part of Dave that knew he was special, that he had a special gift, which set him apart from everyone else. He had never wanted to listen to that voice; because Dave had thought that being different would mean that he was always alone. But, ever since this whole thing had started with the landing of the eagle, that small voice in Dave's soul had become louder. Now, he realized that this could be his only chance. He pushed aside all his doubts, and tried to only focus on what that voice had told him and had been telling him for years: magic did exist, and he had a gift, a gift that he couldn't afford to ignore any longer.

And when he truly listened to that voice that was when it happened. He suddenly saw everything in perfect detail. The world around him was pixilated into countless molecular structures, just like the physics books he had poured over in high school and college. He saw them moving in a perfectly structured dance which gave solidity to the objects of the universe. And the air right in front of him was made of those same molecules, molecules which he could control and use to defend himself. When Dave realized this, he acted on instinct. The molecules in front of him began vibrating violently, and they coalesced together, gaining in heat energy. The next instant, a fire ball shot out from Merlin's ring and landed right between the eyes of the dragon.

The dragon roared in agony, writhing as its body began to burn from the inside out. Sun Lok, who was connected to the dragon by his magical belt, also doubled over when the charm burst into flame. Taking advantage of his distraction, both Balthazar and Veronica shot fire at him. The dragon lost its grip on the fire escape and fell to the earth, landing on top of Sun Lok. There was a giant explosion of fire and confetti. When the dust cleared, the dragon had vanished, replaced by a smoking paper skeleton and the slightly dazed people which had been inside.

Dave was stunned for a few seconds, so much so that he hardly knew what to say. But, he was soon jumping up and down and cheering. Excitement blazed through him and a big grin spread over his face. He had just done it. He wasn't sure if he would have been able to put into words exactly what he had done, but it had felt incredibly awesome. He had done what should have been impossible, and it had been so easy. For the first time, Dave felt like he was totally the coolest guy in the world. For once, being so different wasn't such a bad thing after all.

Veronica and Balthazar watched Dave's celebration. "I knew he could do it." said Balthazar, proudly.

Veronica was relieved that Dave was all right, and also glad that he finally seemed excited about magic. But, then she looked down at the Grimhold, which Balthazar had withdrawn from his coat. The painted picture on its front was of a girl, who looked like she was no more then fifteen. She was dressed in the style of New England puritans from the 1700's, a severe black and white dress that made her face seem even more angular and cruel. It was Abigail Williams, the girl who had been responsible for the beginning of the Salem witch trials.

As Veronica looked down at the image, it seemed for a split second as if her eyes grew dark with several emotions: heartbreak, sadness, guilt for some wrong that she had been unable to prevent, and also, anger that centuries had not been able to remove. It seemed to twist Veronica's normally gentle face into a mask that was almost unrecognizable. Balthazar saw the change, but it brought to him only sadness. He took Veronica's hand in his own and squeezed it comfortingly. It was in the past, and with all their power, Merlineans could not reverse death. Veronica looked into Balthazar's eyes, and understood. The darkness left her eyes, and she smiled softly, grateful for his presence. Now was not the time to dwell upon the violence of the past.

At the moment, perhaps thankfully, Dave ran up to them, excitement radiating off of him. He was still thrilled by what he had accomplished, and he began babbling about what he had managed to do. They already knew how he had done it. But they let him talk on. They didn't see Horvath appear at the window of the shop behind him. He had managed to struggle free from his bindings, working himself into a fine temper in the process. He had fully intended to blast Balthazar, Veronica and that boy to high heaven, but he froze when he saw them and what the boy was wearing on his forefinger: Merlin's dragon ring. He would have recognized it anywhere, though he hadn't seen it in over a thousand years. He suddenly felt a very powerful aura emanating from the boy, one that had mixed with it the power of his old master, Merlin. That, along with the ring, could mean only one thing.

"It can't be." He breathed in shock, as he looked upon the Prime Merlinean and knew that everything had changed.

And beyond these eyes, there was yet one more witness to the events in Chinatown that night, a witness who would had seen far more in her time then all the others. He green eyes saw Horvath as an enemy and Veronica and Balthazar as allies, and the boy as a most interesting development. But, it was to Horvath that her gaze was drawn, to him that was her enemy of nearly 1300 years. That was a long time to hold a grudge, but for her, it had been nothing to wait. Eternity, after all, was nothing with an enemy to fight.

* * *

Please, read and review.

Next chapter: Dvae is offcially inducted into the Merlin's Circle and becomes the Sorcerer's Apprentice (well, you did know that title would have to come in here at some point, right?). Magic may be science and sorcery at the same time, but as Dave will soon see, he doesn't know the half of it. With a teacher like Balthazar, though, he will find that out very quickly.


	13. A New Apprentice

A New Apprentice:

The chaos of the last half hour was at last beginning to die down. The rain of confetti had stopped, revealing that the street was in ruins from the fire and rampaging of a suspiciously large animal. People were starting to mill around once more, asking what had just happened and unable to find any real answer.

Balthazar and Veronica would have liked to keep it that way. But, when they saw the cop cars pulling up, they knew a little improvisation would be needed. "Dave, stay beside and whatever you do, try not to talk." Said Balthazar, as the three of them approached the cops.

Dave was about to ask what that meant, when he suddenly realized that the three of them were dressed like police officers. He was so startled by the change, that he almost yelped, but then he caught Veronica's reassuring smile and encouraging nod. Okay, apparently it as more magic. He would not panic. After what he had just experienced, he was just going to have to accept that crazy things happened around these two.

"Hey, what's going on?" said the police captain, as he intercepted them, taking them to be the team which had been on patrol in Chinatown.

"You know, bottle rocket meets paper dragon in this Asian festival." Said Balthazar, who now sported a Brooklyn accent and a mustache, "Lit it up like a birthday cake. You know how it goes."

"We got flooded with calls saying there was a real dragon." Said the captain.

Balthazar laughed. "A real dragon? Between you and me, Cap, I think some of these people were hitting the Saki pretty heavy, tonight."

"Saki is Japanese, actually." Piped up Dave.

Balthazar seemed rather annoyed at this interruption, until Veronica quickly said, "Yes, and so is sushi, but you would be surprised just how many excellent Japanese restaurants there are in this part of town."

The captain merely rolled his eyes and said, "Carry on."

They passed by him, and once they were safely out of the way, Balthazar said, with more then a bit of biting sarcasm. "Sake is Japanese?"

"Well, it is." said Dave, feebly.

"I was in character." Grumbled Balthazar.

"So, are you miffed because Dave ruined your supposedly perfect performance, or because he was actually right?" asked Veronica.

Balthazar shot her a look of annoyance, but made no answer. Dave was rather surprised to see a triumphant smirk flash across Veronica's face for a moment, as if she thought that she had just scored a victory. He briefly wondered what that was about. He also wondered just how long these two had been married. How else could it be explained that they seemed so connected with each other, but at the same time, also seemed to enjoy pushing each other's buttons? Despite himself, he felt a little curious about that.

They got back where they had parked the Phantom, and once they got in, Balthazar held out his hand. "You may now return the ring to me."

Dave had completely forgotten the bargain he had made with the two of them. Only one hour ago, he would have jumped at the chance to finally be rid of the ring, and all the trouble it represented. But, now he was not so sure. In fact, as he looked the Dragon ring around his finger, he felt as though he had always worn it, and he didn't want to let it go.

"I'm a man of my word, you helped me, and we're done." Balthazar pressed.

Dave looked at the ring, and remembered the rush he had felt when he had truly experienced magic for the first time. He had felt as though he was finally doing something right. Somehow, he found that this was something he needed and wanted to know. "I would like to learn some more."

Balthazar grinned, his heart beating easier. The first step was always the most difficult, and Dave had passed with flying colors. Now the real work could begin. "We'll need some place to work." He said, "Somewhere below Horvath's radar."

"I think I might be able to help with that." said Dave.

* * *

Half an hour later, they arrived at the subway turnaround. They got out of their car and headed for the door. As they went down the stairs, Dave explained, "This is an old subway turnaround. They let me work down here, because some of my experiments tend to skew a little dangerous."

"You have the makings of a sorcerer already." Said veronica, as they went down the steps to the ground floor.

"My professor has a private hook up, so no one knows we're down here."

"Good, I think that this should work very well." said Balthazar, as he put the Grimhold on a table, and a spell of invisibility hid it from view.

Veronica suddenly put his felt her cell phone going off, and pulled it out. Balthazar noticed. "You actually bought one of those?" He asked, in disbelief.

"Yes, of course. I couldn't just allow myself to stagnate while you were in that urn, could I? You're going to have to learn to move with the times, dearest."

Seeing by the caller ID that it was Roger, she went a little ways off a few steps and answered. "Yes, Roger?"

"Would you mind telling me what you and Balthazar did while you were in Chinatown this evening." Said Roger.

"Hello to you to, Roger. Would you mind elaborating?"

"I think you know what I am talking about. The eagles on the Chrysler building were the first to warn of a magical breakout, in Chinatown of all places. By the time Michael and I got here, you had gone. But the auras are tangled all over the place, a few of them we can't even recognize. Veronica, what is going on?"

Veronica looked back at Balthazar and Dave. "It's a long story. I'll tell you everything when I get there."

While Veronica was speaking on the phone. Balthazar spoke to Dave. "Oh, I forgot to give you this earlier." He reached into coat pocket and withdrew a tiny book. "You're Incantus."

Dave looked at the book, then looked at Balthazar. "I remember it being bigger."

"Pocket-edition." Balthazar then began to literally unfold the book, making it larger every time. "The Incantus is our textbook, the art and science and history of sorcery, including our most recent history as well."

He placed the thin book in Dave's hands, but then instantly enchanted it to its full weight, which equated that of a small truck, and was about a zillion pages long, by Dave's rough estimate. Balthazar opened the book, and pointed to a page, with something that almost resembled a proud smile. "See, there you are."

Dave looked. "Oh," He said, a little impressed. True, the picture of him wasn't the most flattering, making him look like something a screaming girl, but still, to be in a book that was obviously this old, that wasn't bad.

Veronica came up to them, the phone call finished. She saw the picture. "Hey, not bad. Don't worry; all apprentices have terrible pictures the first time around. You should see Balthazar's."

Balthazar glared at her. "Yours isn't much better." He pointed out.

"Well, either way, it's not the thing everyone remembers. I have to leave. I should be back in a few hours."

"Where are you going?" asked Dave.

"Damage control." Was all she said, "Don't worry about being left alone with my husband. He doesn't bite, much."

Before she headed up the stairs, Balthazar touched her hand. "Hey, be safe."

She smiled at him. "I always am."

Dave was one more amazed to see just how much the two of them could convey in a single gesture or glance, without seeming to say any words. As she left, Dave looked at Balthazar. "What does she mean by damage control?"

"You'll learn soon enough." Said Balthazar, in a tone that made Dave realize he wasn't going to be getting anything more out of him on this particular subject. "For now, we have work to do."

He took off his coat. "Before we can put Horvath back inside the Grimhold, we must first turn you into a sorcerer, which begins now." He started to move large objects out of the center of the turn-around, simply by pointing at them. "Stand back."

"I was sort of working on-"

But Balthazar stopped him with a warning finger and a stern eye. "Eyes open, mouth closed."

Balthazar was in the center of the room by this point. His eye closed, and he began to move his hands up, down, and around, his face a mask of concentration. Dave wasn't really sure what was going on. However, both confused and fascinated, he found himself matching Balthazar's every move.

The lights in the turn around flickered and went off, but a glowing light seemed to remain around Balthazar. A few seconds later, Balthazar brought his hands up in a sweeping motion, and the floor around him burst into flame. Dave jumped back, completely startled. The flame formed a large circle around Balthazar. The flame itself was a light, iridescent green, which flickered and danced as though it had a life all its own.

Within the circle, Balthazar began to move his hands in more subtle patterns. The earth cracked, and curving lines began to form themselves within the circle. When all was done, there were six separate sections within the circle, each with a different symbol of its power. Balthazar stood in the center of the circle. When he turned to speak to Dave, his voice was low and intense. "This is the Merlin Circle. It focuses your energy and helps you learn new spells. It is where you will learn the art. Step inside, you leave everything else behind. Once you enter, there is no going back."

Dave was having a little trouble taking this entire thing in. it just seemed so overwhelming. "So, I should probably pee first? Better safe then…" Balthazar shot him a stern look, and it was clear to Dave that he considered this to be no laughing matter. "I can hold it."

Getting into the Circle was a little tricky, as the flames were still flickering and hot, so Dave had to do a little fancy stepping to avoid getting burnt. He finally got to the center though, and stood before Balthazar.

"I am Balthazar Blake, Sorcerer of the 777th Degree," Balthazar declared, "and you are my apprentice."

Dave had never dreamed in a million years that something like this would ever happen to him. But, now that it had, he just felt a weird thrill. "Sweet." He murmured, and for once, when it came to magic, he actually meant it.

* * *

Training started almost immediately. Balthazar began prowling around the outside of the circle, lecturing Dave about the basic principles of magic before they moved onto any spells. Dave was surprised that he was able to keep up, well, for the most part. It was surprising him more and more just how much magic was like science.

Magic, Balthazar told him, was all around them. Anything, even those things which were not technically alive could be touched by it. In and of itself, magic was neither good nor evil. It was what one did with it, or that person's intentions which made that spell take on a moral character.

And speaking of people and magic, that was also incredibly detailed. Every magic user had a magical field called an aura, which radiated off of them. This aura was distinct; no two of them were ever alike. It was an indication of how powerful a sorcerer was, as well as what part of the Circle they mastered in. This could come in handy when tracking or identifying another sorcerer. That was how so many of the Morganian sorcerers had been able to find Dave throughout his life. They had sensed the immense power in his aura, and tried to do away with him before he grew to his full potential. Dave then asked, if he had had this aura shield thingy (his own words), all his life, why hadn't he been able to use the magic as he was growing up?

"You actually were, in some ways, even if you were never completely aware of it. From what Veronica tells me, you were always able to sense when a magical threat of some sort was stalking you."

That made sense to Dave. He found himself remembering all of the times during his childhood when he had just felt like he was being hunted or pursued by an unseen enemy. Knowing that those feelings had indeed been true was sort of a comfort to him. Well, it wasn't a comforting thought to know that Morganian sorcerers had been intent on killing him when he was young, but he at least knew now that they had sprung from something legitimate and he hadn't been crazy or paranoid.

Balthazar continued. "However, you wouldn't have been able to access that magic, because you weren't wearing your ring. It's one of the most important things you need to realize as a sorcerer. You're ring is not a piece of jewelry. It projects the electrical energy of your nervous system into the physical world. Without his ring, a sorcerer is powerless." He went over to his coat (which Dave was convinced was bottomless since it could store so many things), and took out a pair of the ugliest shoes that Dave had ever seen. "The only other thing a sorcerer needs is a nice pair of pointy shoes." He threw the shoes at Dave. "Your rubber soles block the current, plus it pays to look classy."

Dave couldn't believe this. Balthazar didn't actually intend for him to wear these things, did he? "These are old man shoes." His voice trailed off as he looked down and realized, rather awkwardly and too late, that Balthazar was wearing the exact same style of shoes.

"Excuse me?" said Balthazar, his voice and face grown dangerous.

"I love them." Dave amended, quickly, "A lot."

* * *

Please read and review.

Next chapter: Veronica has some damage control to take care of in Chinatown, a normal fall out from such an outbreak of magic. But help from an unexpected source will give them a lead in the case.


	14. Damage Control

Damage Control:  
When Veronica arrived back at Chinatown, she found that the chaos of the last hour had calmed down somewhat, though the streets and buildings still showed sigs of the aftermath of the battle. It didn't take long for Veronica to find Roger and Michael, who she wasn't surprised to see. Naturally, they had quite a lot of questions, namely what had caused such a tangled web of auras all over the main parade route.

"We managed to sort out you and Balthazar fairly easily. We could even identify Horvath." said Roger, who had received Veronica's message via pigeon about the release of Balthazar and Horvath from the urn. "But there are two others we can't identify, though one is very old and the other, it's like an explosion of power. I've never seen such a bright aura appear so suddenly.

"That's because the aura belonged to the Prime Merlinean."

They stared at her, for a moment too shocked to respond. "So, Elise was right.' Said Roger, at last, "He was finally found?"

"Yes, and already he's shown enormous potential." She told them what had happened earlier that evening. Both Roger and Michael were impressed.

"A boy without any former training destroyed the magical dragon of a master Morganian?" said Michael, "That is an accomplishment. From what I remember of Sun Lok, that's even more impressive. Sun Lok was one of the mot dangerous sorcerers ever to come out of China." While he was speaking, his eyes were flickering from side to side, and he was looking all around them, as though trying to find someone or something in the few milling crowds left on the street.

"Where is he now?" asked Roger.

"He's started his training with Balthazar, and we have the Grimhold back."

"That sets my mind at ease." Said Roger, "I was never completely comfortable with that thing floating around, knowing that anyone could just grab it."

Michael still scanning the era, turned back to them. "Veronica, this might be the place to ask, but Morgana-" The very word seemed to send a chill through the air that all three of them recoiled from instinctively. "What about her?" asked Veronica.

"You have the Grimhold, and the Prime Merlinean." Said Michael, "How are you going to handle her?"

"We're not going to worry about that just yet." Said Veronica, "We have to train the Prime Merlinean."

"We can't ask that of him, not yet. We've dealt with Horvath before, we can do it again."

"Michael is everything all right?" said Roger.

Michael, who had been looking over his shoulder, turned back to them. "What?"

"That's the third time you're looked over your shoulder in fifteen minutes. Do you think that we've been followed?"

"I don't know. I've had the sensation of being watched for at least an hour. But every time I turn to look at her, she's gone."

"Her?" said Roger, "You got a good enough glance of this supposed follower to know that it was a woman?"

"Yes, she would have been hard to miss. I don't think she was an ordinary woman."

"What did she look like?' asked Veronica, who was intrigued by this new report.

Michael was about to respond when he caught sight of someone across the street. "I don't have to describe her. She's right there."

Veronica and Roger looked, and Veronica's eyes widened in surprise. "It can't be."

Roger looked at her. "You know her?"

"Yes, she an…" She paused, unsure how to phrase the next part. "Old friend."

"Must be a pretty old friend." said Michael, as held out his hand, the jewel that was set into his black leather armband glowing. "She's not giving off any body heat."

Roger's eyebrows rose. "A vampire?" he questioned.

"Well, Veronica, you certainly do run with an interesting crowd." Said Michael, "Do you mind letting us in on who she is?"

"She's a vampire called Rowena. She's been a friend of mine and Balthazar's for a long time. I won't say how long."

"Why is she following you" asked Roger, who was intrigued, though also sounding more than a bit cautious by this new turn of events.

"I wasn't following Veronica, I was following you."

The voice startled them, even more so because it came from Rowena herself. She had been standing across the street only a few seconds before, but had been able to cross over to them in the few moments which they had been speaking of her, so swiftly and lightly that they hadn't noticed the movement.

The years had been kind to Rowena. As with all of her kind, she hadn't aged a day. Her face was unmarked by age, her hair was still the same golden hue it had been for over a thousand years, with not a streak of grey or white to mar it. It was only in her eyes alone that she showed the length of years that she had lived. In their green depths was a wisdom and age that she had bought with great price, and a great deal of pain.

It was unnerving for Roger and Michael to be taken by surprise. It wasn't often that someone sneaked up on them. But, they were also quick to get over that. "And may I ask why you were following us?" said Roger, "I can't think of anything about this situation which would draw the undead into it."

"Ordinarily, I wouldn't interfere." Said Rowena, "But I figured that you would be interested, seeing as Maxim Horvath is on the loose."

"Horvath? Rowena, you've seen him?" said Veronica.

"Yes, I was in the crowd when your little… spectacle was taking place, and I happened to catch sight of Horvath. I must say, he has not changed at all since the last time I met him."

"I'm surprised you didn't kill him on sight."

Rowena's eyes darkened. "Oh, believe me, I wanted too." Rowena had never forgiven Horvath for killing her husband and the massacres of her people when Horvath had revealed their presence to the humans all those centuries ago.

Over the centuries, relations between vampires and sorcerers had waxed and waned. They mostly tried to ignore each other's affairs. Sometimes, they could be so far distant from each other that one group didn't know of the other's existence. It didn't help that Morganians sometimes used vampires for their own ends. Though vampires were unable to work magic because of their undead nature, they could still sense it. Plus, their physical strength and heightened senses could make them a match even for master sorcerers. Sometimes, the more evil-minded would team up with Morganians, either to further their own ends and to gain more power through violence, or because they were coerced into doing so.

When this happened, disaster followed, and many lives were lost. It had left some bitter relations between Merlineans and vampires, and when they did meet, it was not without suspicion on both sides.

Therefore, though Veronica trusted Rowena absolutely (she who could remember a time when vampires and Merlineans had been somewhat closer to allies), neither Roger nor Michael were sure how to take the words of this vampire. "If you hate Horvath so much, why would you have any information that would be relevant now?" asked Roger. "

"Because I can tell you were he is, or at least, where he is heading."

"And should we believe you?"

"I am no more a friend of Horvath then you are, sir. Anything I can to thwart him in his actions, I will gladly contribute."

Roger's steady gaze looked at Rowena, and then to Veronica. He silently asked her if they could trust Rowena. Veronica nodded. Rowena had never let her or Balthazar down or deceived them in any way. Roger still may not have been sure of Rowena, but he knew that he could trust Veronica. Therefore, he was willing to listen to Rowena up to a point, but there was no saying he had to take all of her words at face value.

"What do you know?" he asked.

"I thought that at the present moment, Horvath was more valuable to you alive then dead. I followed him so that I could gain an idea of where he going. He slipped away in the confusion following this little battle and I tracked him to some sort of corner deli store. He talked to a man there, one who seemed to know him by reputation if not by face."

"A List Keeper." Said Michael, referring to those non-magic users of society who kept lists of all the sorcerers in a city. There were different keepers for Morganian and Merlinean sorcerers, but really, if one had the right authority or a handy bribe, the information could be opened to anyone. "Horvath much want to know how many of his old associates might still be alive, and how many might still hold a grudge against him."

"You mean to tell me that Horvath is not universally loved wherever he goes?" said Rowena, with a tinge of bitter sarcasm.

"I'm afraid that Horvath is not very popular in the New York line of Morganians." Said Veronica, "There was an, incident in the 1920's that made many of the Morganian masters very angry."

"If you're referring to the Crash, I though he was responsible for causing it." said Roger.

"Yes, but thanks to a careless mistake or deliberate machination on his part, the Morganian sect also lost money."

"Meaning that Horvath doesn't have many friends here." said Michael, "Because of his standing, they can't kill him, but they will be slow to offer him help. Horvath will want to use other channels to achieve his goals."

"Well, he found one." Said Rowena, "I heard a name, Drake Stone."

Michael barked a laugh. "You're kidding, Drake Stone? Well, Horvath really is desperate."

"Drake Stone?" said Veronica, "That name sounds familiar."

"It should. Drake Stone is a première entertainer, a magician. He plays five shows at the Garden, sold every night, plus more than a few stints on Pay-Per-View."

"If he's an entertainer as you describe." Said Roger, "I'm surprised that the Morganians even acknowledge him. They consider such spectacle beneath them."

"In all fairness, he is not technically a Morganian." Said Michael, "He's never officially joined the Morganians here in New York, he seems to prefer has own way. I believe he is either not interested in world domination or his ego won't allow him to join a group where anyone or anything but himself would be the center of attention."

"It sounds like you've been following him very closely." Said Roger.

"It's not often that you come across a sorcerer who seems to be so absolutely neutral. I find it refreshing."

"Well, you obviously have this under control." Said Rowena, "So, I will take up no more of your time."

"Thank you for your help." Said Roger, after a slight moment of hesitation.

"Anything to be of use." Said Rowena, then specifically to Veronica, she said, "Goodbye, Veronica. It's so nice seeing you again after all these years. Greet Balthazar for me, and I look forward to meeting his new apprentice, at some point."

Before any of them could respond, or speak, Rowena had vanished, as if she hadn't even been there at all. "I wish vampires wouldn't show off like that." muttered Michael, "Nonetheless, I suppose we should be grateful. If not for her, we wouldn't have any idea of Horvath's whereabouts." He smiled suddenly, as though enjoying some private joke. "Though I must admit, I feel almost sorry for Horvath."

"What on earth for?" said Veronica.

"Because Horvath is old school, Stone is a radical. Putting them together will be like mixing oil and water. Oh, how I would love to see their reaction when they first meet."

* * *

Dave had been going at it for what seemed like forever, but was in fact, probably only a few hours. He didn't feel like he was making any progress, just doing the same pointless routines over and over again. Balthazar, however, saw things rather differently. True, Dave got it wrong about one hundred times, but when he did finally achieve a spell, he would get steadily better. Of course, he wasn't about to tell Dave that, especially not this early in the game. Besides, Dave had really only spent time in one area of the circle, the Elements, which was one of the easier areas in terms of mastering basic spells. Right now, Balthazar was instructing Dave in the use of fire. This actually seemed a little silly to Dave, since he had conjured fire in Chinatown only a few hours earlier. He easily conjured a little fireball in his hand, and waited to see what Balthazar would have him do with it. What he said was completely unexpected.

"Now, throw it to me."

Dave looked at him, not sure if he had heard him right. "What?"

"Throw it to me with your mind, Dave. It's not hard."

Dave wondered for half a moment if Balthazar was crazy, but then again, he had to keep reminding himself that he shouldn't question craziness coming from Balthazar. It seemed to be what the man lived on. Dave punched the fireball in his hand in his teacher's direction, and Balthazar caught it, holding it floating between his hands. "The best way to defend against fire, vacuum sphere." Balthazar pulled the air out of the sphere and the fire went out. That done, he conjured his own flicker of flame and told Dave. "Now, your turn."

Dave realized that Balthazar was going to throw the fire at him, and before he could protest, the flame was flying at him. What he did next was completely by instinct. His hands came up, and he visualized the air molecules being pushed out of the space in front of him. The flame halted mere inches from his face, and hovered there in suspension. Dave was both freaked out and excited beyond belief. "I did it! I did it!"

As he pulled the flame out of the air, Balthazar cam up to him. "Excellent!" He praised, Excellent! Excellent!"

"I just did that." said Dave, as though he still could hardly believe it and saying it would make him believe it more.

Balthazar shot him a rather ironic smile. He was very proud of Dave; otherwise, he wouldn't have been so warm in his praise. However, it wouldn't do to give Dave a big head. "What's wrong with your Telsa coil?" He questioned, as he walked towards one of the large conduits. It seems to be firing on it own." He made a quick motion with his hand, and blue electricity arced from it and made struck Dave in the chest, knocking him back several feet.

"Really, really funny." Said Dave.

"This should be hilarious, then." Said Balthazar, as another electric charge came at Dave, who gave a cry of surprised pain as he went careening even further back.

It had to be at this point that Veronica appeared on the catwalk. She observed this prank or attack or whatever it was supposed to be and said, "I say that you actually have inherited some of Merlin's teaching style."

"I'm going easy on him, and you know it. I was just trying to demonstrate, Dave, that an attack can come from any direction, at any time."

"You're making this job sound more fun all the time." muttered Dave, as he clambered to his feet.

"Well, I think that training needs to take a break for now." Said Veronica.

"Oh, thank God." Said a very relieved Dave.

"Are you trying to schedule my training sessions now?" griped Balthazar.

"No, I'm trying to remind you that there should be moderation in everything, especially at first. And besides, neither Dave nor I were released from a ten-year imprisonment in an urn. You need to eat, Balthazar, or you will faint in the middle of demonstrating a spell for Dave."

"That would be pretty amusing, actually." Said Dave.

Balthazar shot him a glare, but couldn't deny what Veronica said. So, he conceded that training was done for the evening, but hastened to add that Dave would be starting up again the next day.

* * *

Please, read and review.

Next chapter: It's time for a little romance after all that action. Dave finds the courage to ask Becky on a "date like an appointment." While Balthazar and Veronica remince about the past and make plans for a future which they hope will finally come true.


	15. A Little Romance

A little note on this chapter. I include a little bit about what I think Veronica and Balthazar's past could have been with Merlin. In the movie, Balthazar states at one point that he, Veronica and Horvath were the only ones who kept Merlin's forces at bay for centuries. I take this to mean that before Merlin cast the spell on them that would prevent them from aging, they had already been fighting Morgana for about two hundred years. In my own mythology for this story, I also think that sorcerers can live for a very long time due to the magic that is in their bodies. Hope that clears up any confusion, and please enjoy this chapter.

A Little Romance:

They managed to find a late night corner deli that was still open. Dave, who had been pretty much carried by adrenaline most of the evening, suddenly realized how hungry he was. However, he wasn't as ravenous as Balthazar, who had ordered seven sandwiches.

"Dude?" he questioned, in astonishment as he stared at the number of sandwiches that Balthazar had.

Balthazar noticed and Dave could have sworn that he looked a little embarrassed. "Oh, I beg your pardon. I haven't eaten in ten years."

"Yeah, all right, fair enough."

"This is actually an improvement." Said Veronica, "I Don't want to think of the times I've had to either remind or force Balthazar to eat."

"May I ask what's so special about this particular bench?" inquired Balthazar, as Dave had rather insisted that they bring their meal to this location. Before Dave could respond with an unbelievable excuse, Becky Barnes walked out of the radio station across the street, and all that Dave could see was her.

Balthazar immediately noted the dewy-eyed look which came across his face, turned and saw Becky, and was on the defensive almost at once. "No, no, no, there's no time for that and too much at stake."

Dave didn't even look like he had heard. All he could see was Becky. "That girl, she's the one." He sounded so certain of the fact that Veronica couldn't help but feel a little interested in her. "And you're my mentor, Balthazar. Aren't you supposed to help me achieve my personal goals?"

Balthazar wasn't the most accommodating of moods. "Ah, yes," He said, with sardonic sarcasm, as he gestured vigorously with the pickle in his hand. "Except I'm not your mentor, I'm your master, and your master says that if Horvath catches you out on the street, you'll die. Is she worth that?"

Dave stared at Balthazar for a moment, then a look of rebellion flashed across his face. No, Balthazar may have been guiding him in magical matters of life, but he couldn't stop him from pursuing a chance like this. He had learned how to make a fire appear out of thin air and he had defeated a dragon for heaven's sake. His self-confidence was higher then it had ever been in his life. He wasn't going to let it go.

He leaped to his feet and ran after Becky, taking a quick look at the bench. "Don't eat my sandwich." He admonished Balthazar. He then hurried up to Becky, who appeared delight and surprised to see him. "Hey, Becky, you heading uptown?"

"Are you stalking me?" she asked, with a laugh.

"Not in a threatening way." Dave reassured her.

Balthazar and Veronica looked on, and Balthazar was less then impressed. "Why was I even concerned?" He muttered, as he took a bite from his pickle. Veronica's laughter drew his attention. "Well, I don't hear you speaking up to help me." He pointed out.

"Balthazar, I'm afraid that you might have lost some of your menace during that last lecture."

"When did that happen?"

"Something to do with the pickle." Said Veronica, "That kind of food tends to make you the sort of person that is taken a little less seriously." Balthazar muttered something unintelligible and took another bite of the pickle. Veronica laughed again. "Balthazar, don't worry. I don't think that Horvath will try and make any sort of move against Dave tonight."

"I know that, but he needs to understand that he had responsibilities now. He can't go putting himself or for that matter, others in danger. He needs to learn to be aware of the possible consequences." Veronica's smile grew wider. "Now what?"

"You sounded just like Merlin when you said that."

"I did not. Did I?"

"Yes, you did, actually. And, if I may say so, I've almost been having flash backs of Merlin the entire evening."

Balthazar sighed, a little defeated. "All right, maybe I am understanding more of what Merlin went through with us."

"And you, especially, in this instance. Are you forgetting how much he lectured you about Anna?"

Balthazar grew a little embarrassed. "You had to bring that up?"

"Yes, I did. If I recall rightly, you were almost as hopeless as Dave was in coming with good opening lines."

"Luckily for me, you didn't end up falling in love with me for my eloquent ways."

"You would be right about that."

Anna had been Balthazar's first romance. This had been nearly a century before he had given his heart to Veronica, when all three of Merlin's apprentice had been entering their late teens. In that time, when all their problems hadn't existed and life seemed hopeful, there had been a pretty, happy girl with golden hair and blue eyes who had caught Balthazar's eye and later his heart. She had been the daughter of a neighboring lord in Britain. She and Balthazar had been fairly smitten with each other, and Veronica had been almost certain that they would marry. But Anna herself had met a tragic end. She had died when Morgana's forces had attacked her father's castle, leaving the place a blackened ruin. Balthazar had been devastated, and he had been certain that he would never love again. When Veronica had fallen in love with him herself, she had been almost certain that her feelings would not be returned.

But, that love affair had been a very different one. By that time, they had been fighting Morgana for over 150 years, and the dark times were upon them. Merlin had known that more was needed than just magic, and he had told Balthazar to keep his heart open. He had, and there had never been advice given to him by his old master that he had valued more.

"Well, I guess in terms of romance, the rules really haven't changed all that much."

"But, Merlin never stopped you from seeing Anna. He trusted you to do the right thing." She laid a hand on his shoulder. "We have to be careful with Dave, my love. We can't expect him to be ready right away. It might be a good idea to allow him some leniency in his training. In the meantime, we need to trust him to make the right choice."

"Yes, I know." He got to his feet, his ravenous appetite apparently forgotten.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to make sure that Dave doesn't do anything stupid."

"But you just said-"

"I know, but I also want to keep an eye on him. You can't tell me that Merlin never followed me when I was with Anna."

Veronica also got up. "In that case, I have better go with you, to make sure that the two of you together don't do something stupid."

* * *

Becky and Dave headed down the subway stairs, chatting as easily as if they had been friends their entire lives. Dave had never thought it could be this easy. He was just being himself. Whoever would have thought that would make a difference?

"I enjoyed listening to your radio show."

"Really, what did you think?"

"It was amazing. I haven't heard of any of those bands, which I think is a pretty good indication that they're cool."

"Well, I'm glad that someone was listening."

"Oh, this might surprise you, I don't get out much."

Becky laughed (Dave loved hearing her laugh), and was about to respond, when suddenly a large thug armed with a knife jumped in front of them, demanding Becky's money and then her bracelet. Becky was too frightened to do anything other than numbly hand him what he asked for. The thug then vanished up the stairs. It had happened so fast, that neither of them had been able to do anything. But once he had vanished, it seemed as though the full shock of what had happened, and what it had cost her, struck Becky. She felt tears sting her eyes. "That was my grandmother's bracelet.

Now, Dave had never been an expert on reading people, but with Becky, it was like he had been doing it all his life. He was able to see immediately that it wasn't being parted from her money that upset her the most. The thief could have taken that and she would have been fine with it, but it was the loss of her bracelet that caused her the most pain. When he realized this, he made a wild and impetuous decision, something that was almost unheard of for him. He turned and dashed off after the thug, not hearing Becky's cries to stop. He fumbled in his pocket for the ring, put it on and caught the thug just when he was trying to get through the revolving bars of the gate. Dave enhanced the bars to become solid iron and unmovable. The thief ran into them at full speed and bonked his nose rather hard on the bars.

That gave Dave enough time to come running up to him. "Now, if you'll just hand over that bracelet." He gasped, slightly winded from the run.

The thief, however, was quick to recover from his bonk in the face, and he had already turned to face Dave, the knife poised threateningly in front of him. "You better run back to your girlfriend." He taunted.

Dave rolled his eyes, "Believe me, I wish she was-" But then he brightened. "You thought she was my girlfriend? Really, that was the vibe you were getting?"

Dave might have been happier to receive this news had it come from someone else. But it was hard to count it as a compliment when it came from an armed thief. Then again, after having faced down a dragon and two Morganian sorcerers in the same night, Dave wasn't really afraid of the thug's threats.

He remembered Balthazar's lessons about levitating objects, and managed to bring to life a garbage can that was close by. Unfortunately, his control was still a little screwy, and so the garbage can flew in all directions. That wasn't Dave's original plan and so it was a little embarrassing. However, this might have been a blessing. The thief seemed more shocked than anything else; he had clearly never seen this tactic before. That at least meant he wasn't interested in pulverizing Dave, which was good. The thief still had more strength and muscle then Dave, and he would have easily taken him out. When the garbage can bust into flames (again, not really what Dave had been planning), he was even more flabbergasted.

Finally, Dave managed to bring the garbage can into position and it slammed into the thief's face, effectively stunning him. That hadn't been the flawless rescue he had been planning, but hey, it worked. Dave quickly picked up Becky's bag and bracelet, and then hurried down the stairs.

Becky, along with the two security guards who had noticed the disturbance a few seconds too late, were running up to him. He quickly hid Becky's stuff behind his back, and the cops hurried past him. Becky came up to him, a question starting to form on her lips, but before she could say anything, Dave handed her what the thief had stolen from her. "Here you go, you're grandmother's bracelet."

Becky looked at Dave in shock. "How did you do that? That guy was huge."

Dave was a little suspired to hear that she was actually concerned about him. "I've been doing a lot of cardio-boxing." He held up his fists, trying to look tough and imposing. "Let me introduce, thunder and lightening."

He was trying to be serious, and it was quite clear that Becky didn't believe him. However, she laughed that gorgeous laugh of hers, blue eyes shining. Then, after a moment, she grew serious, and she looked at him closely. Dave was different. He had always been the shy and quiet sort, and though he still had a bit of that nerdy awkwardness about him (which she found to be more than a little adorable), he seemed much more confidant than she ever remembered him. "Something about you seems different."

"I'm wearing new shoes."

That answer really didn't make any sense, but Becky was actually nice enough to look down at his feet, and say, "Oh, they look good."

Whoa, Becky must have really liked him if she so wiling to tell him such a lie. Before Dave could respond, Becky's train rumbled up to the station, and they had to say their goodbyes. However, struck by a sudden idea, and with all the confidence he had managed to acquire that day, he came up to the door of the subway and said, "Hey, if you need any help with your mid-terms. Stop by my lab, I can give you some help. I'll text you the address."

Becky was once again struck by Dave's earnest nature. True, she had only seen him again after ten years a very short time ago, but already she could see that there was something about Dave which set him apart. She wanted to get to know him better, and try to discover just what that was. Plus, that expression on his face was just too cute to resist. "Yeah, that would be great."

"It's a date." The words were out of his mouth before Dave could stop them. His eyes widened with horror. Had he just said that? So close, and then he had to go and say something stupid. "It's not… It's a date like an appointment." But Becky was laughing as the doors were closing, as Dave called one last time. "A date like an appointment."

The train pulled away from the station, and Dave watched it go, a goofy smile on his face. He felt lighter then air, as if he could grow wings and fly. Had his father been able to see him, he would no doubt have said that his son was a lost man, he was in love.

But he failed to see who had come up behind him, and Balthazar's voice instantly brought him rather abruptly back to earth. "Love is a distraction." Dave nearly jumped out of his skin, and whirled around to face him. "Sorcery requires complete focus."

Despite his manner of speaking, Veronica, who was standing behind him, was smiling as if to reassure Dave.

Balthazar jerked his head to the exit. "Let's go, 'Thunder and Lightening'. There's more to learn."

Despite his somewhat rude awakening, not even Balthazar's slightly acidic manner could ruin Dave's evening. For some reason, he felt as though he life were finally about to begin.

* * *

Balthazar had let Dave go after his first lessons, telling him to come back to the turnaround after his classes at NYC. Dave had returned back to his apartment, utterly exhausted after the night's events, but also strangely exhilarated.

Balthazar and Veronica returned back to their apartment above the Arcana Cabana. Not having seen the place for ten years, Balthazar looked around him with a certain degree of fondness. "It doesn't look like you changed anything." He said, as they went up the stairs.

"No, I merely moved piles around and acquired more items that have yet to be fully chronicled. Sometime we really must look into organizing everything in that shop better."

She spoke with lightness in her tone, but Balthazar saw a slight flash of sorrow in her dark eyes and the light which was always flickering in them dimmed for just a moment. Balthazar didn't have to know what that was for. The reminder of their umpteenth forced separation was still fresh in both their minds. Though in some ways it seemed like they had never parted, but there had been a few times which showed that during those ten years, they had both changed.

Once they came to the privacy of their room, he turned and took her in his arms. She went into his embrace, all too willingly. For a few minutes, they stayed like that, reveling quietly in the feeling of being together. Balthazar ran his fingers through her silky hair, and Veronica found herself surrounded by the scent of his old leather coat, mixed with the scent that was uniquely his own.

"Firefly," said Balthazar, softly, "I missed you so much. I'm sorry that I had to leave you alone again."

Veronica looked up at him. "Balthazar, why do you always feel you have to apologize for things that you can no control over? I saw what happened that day in the shop. I know that you didn't have any other way to save Dave."

"That might be true, but I can never forgive myself for how many times I've had to put the promise we made to Merlin ahead of our marriage."

"We knew the risks and the sacrifices we would have to make…"

"No, Veronica, please. Don't let that excuse come between us, not tonight. I know how much these centuries have cost you." His eyes flickered with a deep sorrow. "You've had to give up the thing that meant more to you then anything else in the course of this journey. Don't think that I've never seen it."

It was not often that Balthazar opened up so completely and let down his defenses. The sarcasm that was in so many of his words had shielded him from all the pain which they had encountered in the world through the centuries. Balthazar had a good heart, but he hardly ever showed its true inner workings to anyone but Veronica. And both he and Veronica knew what he meant by sacrifice.

"The scars run deep for both of us. We can't change that. But I've missed you as well, Balthazar. You're right; I can't deny that it's been difficult for me. I get so tired of waiting, but I know that there isn't a day or a moment of waiting that I would trade for these moments that I get to spend with you."

"And maybe, the times when we will have to be separated ate coming to an end."

They both knew what that meant. Now that they had found the Prime Merlinean, it would perhaps be only a matter of time before Morgan was defeated for good. But, they didn't know when that time might be. They couldn't ask Dave to try and defeat Morgana until he was ready. And indeed, telling Dave the full truth of the extent of his powers would also prove to be a challenge. But, neither of them wanted to think of that right now. The night was young; they had been separated for ten years. All that they wanted was each other.

"Let the future take care of itself." said Veronica, "Right now, you're here. I just want to spend this moment with you."

Balthazar didn't need a second invitation. His lips came down to meet hers in a blaze of passion, and they spent the rest of the rest of the night reaffirming their love in the most intimate and meaningful ways.

* * *

In reference to Balthazar and his past relationship with a woman other than Veronica, I think that it does make sense. I believe that it is perfectly possible for people to fall in love twice in their lifetimes, and since Balthazar and Veronica are espcially long-lived, I think that both of them might have had people that they loved before they fell in love with each other. Just my thought. Please read and review.

Next chapter: We meet everyone's favorite illusionist/part-time Morganian. But, is Drake Stone really what he appears to be, or is he merely living an illusion of his own?


	16. Illusionist

Illusionist:

Drake Stone was a star. Well, actually if he had been asked to elaborate, he would have said that he was more like a demi-god. He was the hottest thing to come out of the magician scene since, well, for forever, or at least Houdini. The magic which Drake brought to his shows was second to none. There were some who though his seemingly effortless illusions must be the result of actually magic itself. How else could it be explained? How very surprised and perhaps incredulous all those people would be if they knew that there was not more than a little truth to be found in that statement.

Drake Stone was a sorcerer. He was actually making the doves appear out of thin air. He really was shutting himself in glass coffins that filled with water and then appearing in a box full of snakes in a completely different costume suspended above the stage. Oh and that body of a tiger, morphing into his own form at the last moment? Also him.

Drake had burst onto the magician scene little less than two years before. In that time, his rise to fame had been meteoric. He had been flooded with promotions, offers, and a whole lot of money. He now had a sold out show nearly every night at the Garden, a posh penthouse in the heart of New York and a reputation as one of the finest performers in New York. Wherever he went, he received praise and adulation. The loud screams of his fans were the greatest thing in the world to him, but of course Drake Stone had no bigger than himself.

He had good reason to think well of himself. Therefore, it came as something of a surprise to him when one day, he was in the process of being attended by his entourage, when a strange man who he had never seen before strode into the room as though he owned the place.

That would have been bad enough, only this man looked to be his late thirties or early forties, with clothes which looked as though they belonged to another age entirely. He looked around him with barely concealed disdain and growled darkly, "Oh, do tell that this is a joke?"

Now, since Drake was used to be feted and praised wherever he went, this little statement really didn't do anything to endear this guy to him. "I'm sorry, are you lost?"

The newcomer was totally unfazed. "So, you're what passes for a Morganian, these days?"

Drake finally recognized him. How could he have missed it? He had only been studying about this sorcerer since he had begun his apprenticeship. "Maxim Horvath? You are one smokin' bad a-"

"Would you excuse us, please?" said Horvath, abruptly cutting Drake off.

"Yes, excuse us, ladies." Said Drake, shooing his entourage out of the room, along with Bob, the only male in the room. "Bob."

The ladies and Bob exited the room, leaving the two sorcerers alone. Drake now found that he didn't know whether to be excited or nervous. Horvath was one of the most famous Morganians in history. Any Morganian would have jumped at the chance to meet him. However, this was also one of the most merciless and cunning. Drake knew that he would have to tread carefully.

Once they were well, and truly alone, Horvath said, "So, they tell me that you're some sort of entertainer." Drake did not quite catch the sneer in Horvath's tone, especially on the tone, "entertainer."

There was not a subject Drake more enjoyed then talking about himself. So he boasted of his accomplishments unthinkingly. "Five sold-out shows of the Garden, plus on the Pay-Per-View."

At that instant, Horvath called upon a whirlwind that blew forcefully through the room and scattered the posters advertising Drake's newest show all over the room. Drake was too stunned to object. "Did you ever see Morgana pull a rabbit out of a hat?" He questioned, with a dark ferocity.

To his credit, Drake wasn't completely covered. "Hey, my Master abandoned me when I was fifteen, vanished. Left me with nothing but an Incantus, and some prescription-grade issues." He left out the part about the scrounging and surviving on his own in a strange country, oftentimes not knowing where he would be getting his new meal. He got the feeling that Horvath wouldn't be interested in that part. "So, I improvised." Yes, he had improvised, and he thought that he had done pretty damn well. True, he didn't exactly have many contacts or allies with the Morganian sect in New York, but he didn't really care. He didn't have any interest in sticking his neck out for anyone. Drake Stone looked after himself.

But Horvath wasn't particularly interested in that bit either. Drake wasn't his first choice for help. In fact, he might very well have been among his last choices. However, he needed someone who could serve as back-up for him, and better this one, then one who could potentially double cross him. And perhaps the fact that he was unconnected would be for the best. Once he was dead, no one would question his disappearance.

"Yes, well, the time for improvisation is passed. Balthazar and Veronica Blake may have found the Prime Merlinean."

That got Drake's attention. His eyes grew wide with astonishment. Just as with Horvath, he had never met Merlin's two other apprentices, had only seen their finely detailed portraits in the Incantus. But he knew who they were. They were legends in the same league as Horvath himself, only on the opposite side of the spectrum. And the Prime Merlinean, the very heir to Merlin himself. This was definitely more serious than even he had thought.

"He wears the ring?" He asked, unable to keep the awe from his voice. When Horvath nodded, Drake couldn't stop the slight shudder that raced down his spine. He couldn't help but question his sanity, nor too late how exactly he could hope to get out of this alive.

* * *

The next morning, Balthazar and Veronica were up early despite the late hour at which they had gone to bed, made later by the fact that they had gotten more then a little physical before they had finally succumbed to sleep. They weren't fatigued. Many years had trained them to not need as much sleep as other people.

When Balthazar had finished showering (the invention of indoor plumbing was one of the few which had had enjoyed, and being stuck for ten years in an urn didn't really do much for the sake of personal hygiene), he found Veronica already up and dressed. "Morning, Darling," She said, sipping her coffee, "Sleep well?"

He cast her a glance. "I did, actually, once I got the chance. Unfortunately, I did wonder last night if you would ever let me sleep."

"I can't help it if you were enjoying it so much." She pointed out, "Don't express so much enthusiasm next time and I might go easier on you next time."

Balthazar rolled her eyes and decided to let that matter drop. "You don't happen to have-"

"Oatmeal, plain, second cabinet, on the right side of the first shelf. The brown sugar is right beside it."

"You thought of everything for my homecoming, didn't you?" He said, "Knowing how much you hate oatmeal, I can only assume how much of a burden it was for you to get it."

"Balthazar, for you, I would be quite willing to put myself through the worst of discomforts. However, I must admit, buying that stuff does cause my stomach to turn."

"Well, I appreciate it, Firefly. I'll make sure that you get a mention in the Incantus for your brave efforts."

"Thank you. What do you have planned for the day?"

"Teaching my still half-way reluctant apprentice how to make plasma bolts. You?"

"Oh, I'll just be with Michael. We're going to be following one of the most dangerous sorcerers in history, a man who is planning the destruction of the world as we know it."

"Hmm, same old, same old for both of us then?"

"Yes, it looks like it." Veronica laughed. "Does it not bother you, my love, that we can never have a normal morning conversation?"

"Like what, complain about the commute, say that we did brilliantly at the office, or whine about the bosses that we have, as opposed to near death experiences, fighting a host of magical beings, all while on a crazy quest that seemed doomed to failure from the beginning?"

"Yes, something like that."

"Now, whatever gave you an attitude like that?"

"I don't know, it just a thought. Good luck training Dave. I should be there sometime in the afternoon to help. Did you say that you were starting him on plasma bolts?"

"Yes?"

"Already? We were in our fourth years of training before Merlin even let us attempt that."

"Dave needs a surefire combat spell he can rely on. He needs to know how to defend himself as long as Horvath is out there. Besides, he's bright and talented. He probably doesn't' realize it yet, but he had to potential to learn quite a lot in a short amount of time. I have to know what to teach him and what not to."

"Well, I trust you. Dave probably wouldn't believe me if I told him, but he couldn't have a better teacher then you. Only don't be too hard on him."

"I'm certainly not going to let him off easy."

"There is a middle ground. I was only suggesting that you let him have a little bit of protection, so he's not bruised all over from plasma bolts flying wild."

"All right, I'll take it under advisement."

"Thank you. I have to run." She kissed, a little longer then was necessary for just a good-bye kiss. He responded. Aside from their light-hearted banter, none of them could quite forget that they had only been reunited yesterday.

"I love you, Veronica." He whispered.

"And I love you, Balthazar."

* * *

Veronica and Michael had made arrangements the night before to try and see if they could track down Drake Stone. From there, they hoped that it would be only a short time before they could find out Horvath's whereabouts and his plans. First, though, Veronica wanted to know just what she was in for with Drake. Her research yielded mixed results. From a magical standpoint, Drake was practically a nonentity. She could find only one reference of his name in the Incantus, indicating that he must have had formal training at some point. However, there was nothing else, no mention of who his master might have been, nor a time period for training. There wasn't even any mention as to where his allegiances lay. He may as well have vanished off the radar.

However, the public elicited a very different story. There was plenty of Drake Stone, no matter where one looked. Veronica was able to find legions of newspaper articles just by Googling him. Only reading through a few of them revealed a great deal of information. Drake had channeled his magical gifts into performance. He performed magic tricks on stage, but even the descriptions of those tricks seemed to go beyond simply pulling a rabbit out of a hat. They were complex and subtle in their execution, and it would have been difficult for anyone to discover the truth behind how he did it. Even Veronica, on watching some of the clips she found of him on YouTube, had to admit to herself impressed with his technique (a good deal of the search was done via the internet at a local coffee shop. Balthazar would most likely need a tutorial on the advancement of computer technology. She was sort of dreading that. She had always been a bit more open to new technologies than he had).

All this information on Drake Stone made her curious to actually see him. She didn't really know what to think of him. He wasn't a Merlinean exactly, in that he used his powers for his own personal display and profit, and the adulation he had been receiving seemed to have given him an incredibly large ego. But, on the other hand, he didn't seem violent, and in terms of Morganians seeking domination, that didn't really seem to fit into Drake's persona as a performer. He seemed to be an enigma, which interested Veronica. After so many years of fighting the same old battle, anything that seemed to defy a simple explanation interested her.

She was just finishing up when she received a text from Michael, telling her to meet him in front of the Stock Exchange. By the time, she got there, the afternoon rush was in full swing and there were crowds of people jostling along the streets. She was easily able to find Michael, but she was fairly certain that Horvath wouldn't be able to find them in the sea of faces. Michael was a powerful manipulator of auras, and could mask his own and Veronica's for a short time. And hopefully, Horvath would be to preoccupied by other matters to not think about the fact that he might be being followed.

She found him on one of the street corners, casually leaning on a light pole. He seemed to be reading a newspaper, but Michael had incredibly acute senses. His eyes saw everything and his ears missed nothing. It would have been hard to slip anything past him. "Have you found anything?" asked Veronica, as she came up to him.

"Nothing of use so far?" said Michael, "I followed Drake and Horvath this far, but they've been going in and out of the buildings that surround this plaza for an hour. I thought it would be more prudent to wait in the general area, and see what I can find out."

"Checking out the positions of their satellites, perhaps?" said Veronica.

"That's my first guess." Said Michael, "Ever since the invention of technology like that, both sides have been experimenting with how they can use it to further their own ends. Even for a spell as ancient as The Rising, it would probably be of some use."

Veronica knew what Michael meant. She and Balthazar had been fighting with Horvath long enough that they both knew his one goal beyond freeing Morgana from the Grimhold, was being prepared for The Rising once she was out. Now that the Prime Merlinean had been found, Veronica didn't doubt that the preparation for The Rising to take place as soon as possible would be upper most in Horvath's mind.

"It still doesn't give us an idea of where The Rising might take place." She said. "It would require a place that is central to all of the satellite dishes that they want to catch the energy. And it would help if they could have some sort of circle to make it easier."

"Well, there are only hundreds of different locations that fit that description in this city." Said Michael, sarcastically, "All we have to do is narrow them down."

Veronica was about to reply, when she saw Horvath and Drake emerge from a nearby building across the plaza. Though they were fairly certain that they couldn't be seen, both of them stepped back a little, more into the press of people. It was hardly necessary. As soon as Drake was spotted, a small army of fans descended upon him, asking for autographs and pictures. "Does that normally happen with him?" asked Veronica.

"All the time, I'm guessing." Said Michael, 'Quite strange that he's never used that personal charisma of his for nefarious purposes. It's a pity that such a gifted sorcerer should have chosen the wrong side."

Veronica looked at Michael, somewhat questioningly. There was a note of wistfulness in his voice which would have been hard to detect for any but the most observant of people. Even if they did hear it, many probably wouldn't have been able to understand what it meant. However, she did. "You see yourself in him, don't you?"

"In more ways then one." Said Michael, "I was once that young and stupid, thinking that I could control the world and everything in it. Then, my master came along and corrupted what good I could have done at that age. I only hope that Drake does not succumb to Horvath's influence as I did."

Veronica put a hand on his shoulder. "You cannot change your actions, Michael. Nor can you control what others might choose. Drake Stone has obviously made his choice. I doubt there is anything we can do to change it."

"I suppose you're right." Said Michael, though his tone said that he didn't entirely believe it. Veronica suspected that there was still some part of Michael that would have very much liked to change Drake.

However, before more could be said on the matter, Michael suddenly tensed up. His manner seemed to change as his senses became sharper. "What is it?" asked Veronica.

"Sorcerers, two of our own, they just entered the plaza." Said Michael, "I think they are… yes, one apprentice and Miranda. I would recognize that aura anywhere."

Veronica grew worried despite herself. "I hope that they aren't noticed by Horvath. That would only lead to trouble."

"Hopefully, Horvath will be to busy planning to destroy the world to notice."

Michael's senses proved to be right, when Miranda and another girl appeared in the plaza across from Veronica and Michael. Miranda Ventura had changed quite a lot from the little girl who had confided to Veronica her connection with animals. She was a woman now, fiercely independent and determined to make her mark on the world in a way that had nothing to do with magic. She was almost relieved that her gifts weren't those of an ordinary sorcerer. True, she had animal magic; she could communicate them and shapeshift. However, she had not had to go through the rigors of training, nor had she ever felt the pressure of protecting mankind. Her life was her own to live.

This didn't mean that she avoided magic entirely, and indeed, some of her closet friends were in the Merlinean Circle as apprentices or journeymen. She was out shopping with one of them that day, a strawberry-blond girl of about 19, whose name was Lisa Altos, and was a healing apprentice in the Circle.

Lisa had been in the middle of describing the fabulous new shoes that she had bought, when she suddenly stopped in her tracks. Her eyes grew wide. "Oh my gosh, it can't be. It's him, right there in front of me."

"Lisa, what is it?" asked Miranda, who didn't know what could have caused her friend to react so strongly.

Lisa was practically jumping up and down at this point, and she pointed wildly across the street. "Look, over there, right by the bull, Drake Stone!"

This name was squealed in such a high tone of excitement that Miranda flinched. She knew of her friend's obsession with the famous illusionist. She couldn't really see what Lisa saw in him. Miranda really didn't think that he was that gorgeous to begin with. But beyond the issue of his looks, she had grown up surrounded by sorcerers and magic. She certainly wasn't interested in having a crush on another one, even if he was simply an entertainer. She had once asked Lisa about this, but Lisa had said that since Drake used slight of hand and wasn't really magical, he wasn't technically a sorcerer. Miranda really couldn't see the difference, but she had let it pass.

"Oh, so it is." She said, in a somewhat bored tone, before promptly changing the subject. "Where was that dress store that you wanted to try and find?"

Lisa stared at Miranda in disbelief. "How can you talk about dresses at a time like this?"

"Quite easily, apparently. What else do you want to talk about?"

"Drake Stone, of course. He's standing right there. Aren't you even a little interested in going over and getting his autograph?"

"No, not particularly."

"Even for me?" Lisa asked pitifully, "Please, Miranda, this is like, the one the thing that I have been looking forward to my whole life. Please, can't we just go over and get his autograph?"

Miranda rolled her eyes. Lisa was nice enough, and most of the time, she enjoyed her bubbly, perky attitude. However, Lisa was still quite young. At times, her enthusiasm resembled that of a giggly little girl, and those were the times when she could be a little trying. However, Lisa was also very good at getting what she wanted. When she set her mind to it, she could convince almost anyone to do what she wanted. Besides, when Miranda thought about it, it wasn't the big of a sacrifice. Maybe seeing Drake Stone up close and in person would make Lisa see that he was a real live person instead of a god.

"All right, fine. Five minutes, one autograph, that's it."

Lisa squealed and gave Miranda a quick hug. "Thank you, Miranda. Thank you, thank you."

She dragged a very unwilling Miranda over to the small crowd which had gathered around Drake Stone, all of them eagerly clamoring for his attention. Much against her will, Miranda found herself plunged into the middle of them. A few of seconds later, Lisa was right in front of Drake Stone, yammering about how much she adored him and that she was his biggest fan. Miranda at least gave him the credit. He didn't pat her obligingly in the head or half listen to her in a slightly patronizing way. He did give her a genuine smile as he signed his autograph and seemed to listen to her with something like attention. But, when his attention turned to her, all of her good opinion of him disintegrated.

Drake adored all the attention that he got whenever he stepped out onto the street. The best attention came from the opposite sex. Drake had a way with the ladies, and his charm had gotten him more than a few girlfriends. He was signing the autograph of a strawberry blonde, when he noticed her companion, and he really liked what he saw. She had dark, honey-colored skin. Her hair was long and straight, brown with hints of light tan highlights. Her eyes were a mixture of caramel and molten gold. Her figure was neither stick thin, nor morbidly obese, but just the right amount of curves. Anticipating an easy conquest, he beamed her an easy smile and said, "Is there anything that I can sign for you?"

To his astonishment, she took a step back and said curtly, "No, thank you."

This was not a reaction that Drake was used to. For a split second, he was lost for words, staring at her in amazement. She was looking at him with those eyes, staring steadily back at him. In his initial once over, he hadn't noticed just how unnerving that gaze was. She wasn't looking at him with adoration, but instead in such a way that he could the impression she could see right through his illusion, and she was not impressed with what she saw. He had no answer to that.

The moment passed quickly, as the girl's blond companion hastily apologized for her friend (which he saw made her eyes roll), and thanking him for his time. They moved off, and were replaced by more of his adoring fans. He fell back into his role as entertainer and magician. For the most part, he succeeded, but he wasn't soon to forget that woman who had so easily rejected him. And it wasn't until later that he realized just how much that first meeting would have upon his future.

As Lisa and Miranda walked away, Lisa was by turns nearly fainting because she had actually met Drake Stone, and irate because Miranda didn't seem as thrilled as she was. "I don't understand how you could possibly reject Drake Stone, I mean, he was right there in front of you. He was so polite, and oh, that smile, that smile just says it all."

"Yes, that smile did say a lot." Said Miranda, who didn't add that the smile had clearly said: "Let me eat you up." She didn't like being regarded as prey, especially when the would-be predator was obviously after only one thing.

"Drake Stone is so amazing. He's so cute." Said Lisa, continuing with her rapture over the magician, quite unaware of her friend's thoughts. "I wish that I could go on a date with him, even just for and evening. It would be worth it to have it all to myself."

Miranda smirked. "Better drop the fantasy, Lisa. The way he dresses, he's probably gay."

This launched Lisa on a particularly spirited defense of Drake Stone, which Miranda only listened to about half of. She had better things to worry about.

Luckily for both Miranda and Lisa, Horvath was too busy making initial plans for The Rising to notice any potential sorcerers nearby. Otherwise, he might have been very interested in Miranda's aura.

As it was, he was play particular attention to the satellite dishes on top of all the buildings surrounding the plaza. He had managed to drag a half-sensible explanation out of Drake as to what the satellite dishes were capable of. The ability to amplify the energy of The Rising would mean the spell would carry farther and faster then it would otherwise. "Very good, we'll use their satellite dishes on the buildings, there, there, and there. See it done." He had been addressing Drake, but when he looked to see if he even remotely understood what he had just asked, he saw that Drake was surrounded by a bevy of empty-headed, adoring fans. Horvath was so angry at this blatant abasement of the Morganian powerbase that he could very easily have struck Drake down, along with all the idiots who were fawning all over him. But, he restrained himself. Horvath was nothing if not practical. Drake could still be of use.

Drake, to his credit, ws not so foolish that he didn't notice Horvath's stare of disapproval. Quickly shooing the fans away, he came over to Horvath and said, trying to be placating, "Sorry, it's just nice for them to see a genuine icon like me."

Horvath nodded, clearly unimpressed with Drake's excuse. "Fortunately, they'll all be dead soon."

Drake, when he heard these words, felt a very strange sensation. The words were heartless and spoken so coldly and callously, that he felt chills racing down his spine. He saw that Horvath cared nothing for the people around, saw them as nothing more than a means to an end. For some reason, the really bothered him. He couldn't understand why it should. He was not a selfless defender of the innocent, like the Merlineans. But, then again, he had never been in a situation where violence had been called for. He remembered his earlier fear, about being able to come out of this alive. But, now a new fear, a small and quiet voice, but still palpable in it's power, asked if he would be able to shed blood, should the need arise? To his amazement, he found that he didn't know the answer.

Horvath didn't see this struggle of conscience in Drake. If he had, would have considered ending the partnership (such as it was) immediately. The last thing he wanted or needed was a torn accomplice. As it was, now that he had a solid base plan, he knew what needed to be done next. "First, we need to find the boy."

"Well, how do we do that?" asked Drake, doing his best to ignore his doubts.

"We wait until he's alone."

* * *

So, it seems that Drake is not quite so evil as he seems. Drake didn't really appeal to me when I first saw the movie, but repeated viewings showed me that he was actually a very inersting character. So, I decided to go a little more in depth with his story. You haven't seen the last of him, nor his interactions with Miranda or Michael. In the meantime, please read and review.

Next chapter: We get a little more rormance in the picture, with Dave's date like an appointment with Becky. And we get a little more of Becky's backstory, when she reveals a secret to Dave that she has never told anyone before.


	17. A Date Like an Appointment

A Date like an Appointment:

Dave's second day of training started immediately after his classes were done for the day. This time, Balthazar had something particular to teach him. If Dave were to have any chance of surviving this, he needed to know how to make plasma bolts. However, he did take Veronica's suggestion of allowing him to have some sort of protection.

Dave was dressed in the full kit of a baseball catcher, standing in the section of the Merlin Circle which symbolized Matter, eyeing Balthazar with understandable trepidation. He was walking around the Circle, conjuring a plasma bolt, and rotating it in his hand, making it grow stronger and brighter. "Your ingenuity and your heart will give you an advantage over Morganians who rely only on the power of their magic. But, when you're up against the wall, there's only one weapon of choice: plasma bolt." The ball of energy in his hands spurted and spat and Dave had to remind himself not to back up. Balthazar suddenly turned and shot the plasma bolt at one of the tables. The blast wasn't enough to destroy the table, but it was a decent explosion. Dave was stunned and looked at Balthazar, questioningly. "You're turn."

Dave may have thought that this would be easier than the other things he had been learning. After all, he had created Telsa coils on his own, and had been working with them for almost two years. He knew the basics about what was needed to create plasma. Well, he thought he did. It turned that after only a little time of trying and failing to get some sort of energy to appear in his hand, he realized that creating electricity from a machine and creating it from your mind were two very different things. He tried several times, but not so much as a spark appeared. He did consider giving up several times, but that would probably earn him a look from Balthazar, and he wasn't about to go through another lecture.

At last, he saw some signs of success. A spark or two escaped fro his hands. That encouraged him to keep on trying. Eventually, those one or two sparks came together to create minuscule balls of plasma. Unfortunately, this now presented a new challenge. Those little balls of energy were extremely difficult to handle. They seemed to have minds of their own, and no sooner were they formed than they spun out of his hands, and seemed to go every direction at once. The only thing that stopped them was a wall or one of the steel beams of the lab, where they exploded in a shower of sparks. By the end of only an hour, the walls of the turnaround were a patchwork of scorch marks.

Dave didn't escape some of those bolts, and he was soon glad of the protection. The bolts sometimes seemed drawn back to their creator and zoomed back around to him before he react or get out of the way. Before too long, he was bruised all over.

Later that afternoon, Veronica came back from wherever she had been (which Dave thought better not to inquire about and he suspected that Veronica wouldn't have told him anything if he had asked), and she began taking over some of the teaching sessions. When he had first met her, Dave hadn't thought that Veronica could be all that tough in a fight. He was soon proved wrong. Veronica had not become one of Merlin's apprentices by being a helpless maiden in distress. She had learned from an early age to take care of herself, both with magic and with the weapons that were normally reserved for the use of men only. She had been deadly with a bow and her sword skills were nearly the equal of Balthazar and Horvath. And her use of magic as a weapon had also been apt to cause a lot of damage.

As Dave soon learned, much to his chagrin. Now that he knew somewhat how to conjure plasma bolts, Balthazar said that it was equally important that he knew how to defend himself from them. He needed to be able to maintain a shield against multiple plasma bolts, which was where Veronica came in. While Dave stood in the circle, Veronica stood outside of it, and threw plasma bolts at him, one right after the other, so quickly that Dave couldn't see her hands moving. She was about as merciless as Balthazar was in terms of her high standards, she just didn't seem to enjoy torturing Dave as much as Balthazar did.

Luckily however, Dave managed to get this concept a whole lot faster than he had actually getting the plasma bolts to work, and in a few hours, he was able to maintain a shield for a good many hits. Balthazar was very pleased, and Dave actually thought that this might not be so hard after all. Until Balthazar mentioned that next time, both he and Veronica would be firing the plasma bolts, they would be moving around the circle rather then firing from a stationary place, and Dave would have to be able to fire off plasma bolts while still being able to maintain his shield.

When that lesson was learned, Balthazar moved him onto the section that symbolized Motion. He said that Dave was in a place where he could learn to levitate objects. He eventually was able to life four chairs, Balthazar sitting in one of them. The three other chairs rotated in circles, while going in a bigger circle around the middle chair that he was occupying. "Now, focus on control." He said, while unconcernedly reading a book. "Set me down nice and easy."

Dave might very well have succeeded in the venture, except for the fact that in the whirlwind of his training that day, he had completely forgotten about his date with Becky, or date like an appointment, he tried to keep reminding himself. In any case, when Becky knocked on the door to the lab, Dave's concentration shattered, and Balthazar landed on the ground with a rather unceremonious jolt.

Dave immediately moved to grab his coat, telling Balthazar as he did so. "Becky's here. Could you hide? Hide now."

"Dave, get back here. We have important work to do."

But Dave was ignoring him studiously by this point. He hurried up the steps and opened the door, only to be greeted by Becky's sparkling face. "Hi." She said, excitedly, and Dave was certain that he would melt right there on the doorstep.

"Hi, you want to go somewhere, library, anywhere?" He just wanted to escape the lab by the point, and get away from Balthazar. But he had mistaken just how fast his teacher could move.

"Dave," He heard his voice calling from the stairs, and a second later, he appeared with Veronica. "Is that company I hear?"

Dave inwardly groaned. Just what he needed: double-teamed by his teacher and his wife. This was going to be worse than his parents. "Um, okay." He replied trying to put a good face on things and feeling like he was failing miserably. "Becky, this is..." He faltered. How was he supposed to explain these two bizarre people to Becky?

Fortunately, Balthazar already had that worked out. "Uncle, Uncle Balthazar, and Aunt Veronica." The "Aunt" moniker earned him a raised eyebrow from Veronica, as if that were something she had not anticipated. "Dave, I'm confused, I thought that we were staying in tonight."

"Oh," said Becky, "if this is a bad time."

"It's a bad time." confirmed Balthazar, but Dave said at almost the exact same instant, "No, no, Uncle, we have plans for later on."

Becky looked rather confused, as she obviously didn't know who to listen to. But Veronica surprised them all, when she said, "Dave's right, actually, darling. You said that we would be going out tonight." She looked at Becky and smiled, "You must forgive my husband. He has trouble remembering things like this. He can be quite a chore to take care of, sometimes."

Balthazar had been expecting Veronica to see the advantage of more training for Dave and Dave had expected her to support her husband. So this unexpected support earned her a couple of surprised looks. However, she merely said to Balthazar. "Come on, Balthazar. Let's leave these two alone."

Balthazar realized that Veronica would not be talked out of it. And he suddenly rather like the thought of a chance to spend some time alone with Veronica. "You know, it's all right. I just remembered I have to go into town anyway to pick up your anti-itch cream." Dave's eyes bugged out of his of head when he heard this, and Becky merely continued to look slightly mystified, while Veronica merely rolled her eyes.

She grabbed Balthazar by the head and practically dragged him away. "It was nice meeting you." She said, as they passed Becky. "I hope that we can get to know each other better while we're here."

Becky nodded and managed a polite smile. "If you want."

Balthazar and Veronica headed for the Phantom, not before Balthazar put a spell of protection on the door and looked back several times as if expecting the worst to happen. "Still questioning the wisdom of leaving him on his own with a girl?" asked Veronica, with an amused smile.

"I just don't want him to get hurt, that's all." said Balthazar, "Relationships with sorcerers and non-magic users are they're delicate things; one wrong move could end in disaster."

"Balthazar, this is only a first date. I highly doubt that Dave is planning on proposing. Besides, I wouldn't worry. I have a good feeling about this girl."

"You only met her five seconds ago. How can you be sure how she'll respond to magic?"

"I don't know for sure. I just have a feeling about her. Her aura was incredibly familiar. Now, I've managed to get a date out of you, dearest. It's time it make good on it."

Balthazar grinned, trying to allay his own fears in the confidence of his wife. "Tell me where to go. I'm all yours."

* * *

Despite the awkward beginning, it didn't take long for the date/appointment between Becky and Dave to really take off. Becky, for her own part, found that she was enjoying physics far more than she ever thought possible. Dave just had a natural enthusiasm for the subject which made what normally appeared to her to be nothing more than a bunch of nonsense more or less intelligible. Plus, there was something about Dave which just made him stand out to her. Sure, he wasn't the most eloquent of guys. She was pretty sure that he hadn't had much practice at sweeping girls off their feet. But, she really didn't mind that. There had been enough boyfriends in her life who had been all flash and glam, nothing really beneath the surface. But Dave, he was different. He was real, and for that reason, she wanted to know him even better than the frightened ten-year- old that she remembered so well.

Oh, she remembered Dave, and far more vividly than he would probably believe. She had noticed Dave in class when she had first arrived in New York, and though she had had a few friends, Dave had been a person that she had wanted to know better. However, she had never really known what to say to him. He had seemed so intent on keeping to himself, she hadn't been sure if anything she could do would make him notice her. After the incident at the Arcana Cabana, she had been the only one in the class who hadn't teased Dave mercilessly, and had, in fact, wanted to come to his aid. But he had left that school before she was able to do so. She had moved on with her life, but she still held some regrets about not reaching out to him when she had had the chance. She had taken it as a lesson that she could never afford to ignore a potential friend.

So, now Dave was back in her life. He didn't seem to have changed much, but there was still something about him that made him different from any other boy she had ever seen. He was still nerdy and smart, awkward and shy (but in a very enduring way). But he was also a lot more confidant. He looked her in the eye now, instead of trying to avoid her gaze. And his words didn't stumble as much as they used to. She had first noticed it in the subway, but now it seemed so much stronger. And she believed there was a different reason behind it then just the fact that he was wearing new shoes.

As they were studying, the inevitable hunger pains came about. Here, too, Dave seemed to have the answer. From the refrigerator, he pulled forth a box that turned out to contain three cinnamon rolls that were slathered with a rich, creamy frosting. Becky observed with a laugh that half of one of them could make a meal in itself.

"Where did you get those?" She asked, as Dave cut one up, and put it in the microwave.

"Oh, my dad. He owns this bakery in Albany" said Dave, "He's the best cook in the world. He can make anything, from a five-course dinner to macaroni and cheese."

Becky smiled, enjoying the evident pride in Dave's voice as he talked about his father. "He sounds like a good person to know. I thought that you lived your entire lie here in New York, though. When did you move?"

A shadow passed over Dave's face. "Um, when I was fifteen, my dad and I were in a car accident. And well, it paralyzed him from the waist down. We had to move to Albany because it was easier for dad to find a place there where he could move around."

Becky looked down, feeling a little awkward. "Oh, I'm sorry."

"Hey, it's not your fault." Dave came back over and places the warmed-up cinnamon roll in front of them. "And, really, once we made the adjustment it was actually fine. My dad, he's just the coolest guy. He didn't let this get him down, not for a minute. He always dreamed of owning his own bakery, and he let nothing stand in his way. He was a big inspiration to me."

"And your mom, what does she do?"

"She's a free-lance journalist. She's an amazing writer. What about your parents? What do they do?"

"Well, my mom is a violin player in the New York Philharmonic."

"Really? That's cool. I guess that's why you're into music, huh?"

"Yeah, pretty much. All my early memories have music in them, and I think I was trying to plunk out melodies on the piano before I was even five."

"A real virtuoso?"

Becky laughed. "Oh no, I think I tried a new instrument every year for my entire childhood before I finally settled on two that I could actually play with any proficiency."

"And what about your dad?"

Becky's smile faltered and a cloud passed over her face. "My dad, well, I've never actually met him."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have-"

"Look, its okay. It's just, my mom and I don't really talk about him. It's kind of a weird dynamic."

She looked closely at Dave. Wondering if she should take the risk and tell him her biggest secret, something that she had never told anyone else. However, it was not a very hard decision. Simply, she found that she trusted Dave, though she had really only truly known him a short time. "My dad, I never even learned his true name. And I never saw him. My mom, I don't think, even has a picture of him, not that she's shown me anyway. I used to think that my mom hated him, but as I got older, I learned that she was just very sad whenever she talked about him. And when I once asked why she had left him, she assured me that it wasn't because he was abusive or anything like that. It was because sometimes, no matter how much you love someone, if you don't match, there's nothing you can do to really make it work."

"That doesn't really make sense, no offense to your mom or anything."

"Well, I didn't get it at the time. I still don't know if I get it. She said it's something I would understand when I was older."

"So, you haven't had any contact at all with your dad?"

"Oh, I have. It's really odd. Every year, on my birthday, I've gotten a note and a really nice gift, but no return address or name. He's also paying for half of my school tuition and gotten me a really nice cello. When I was little, I used to think that he was spy or something. Now, I really don't know. I'm not sure what to make of it. It's like he wants to know me, but he also wants to keep his distance."

"Do you want to meet him?"

Becky shook her head. "I switch ideas. Sometimes, I really do want to meet him, but other times, I just want to forget about him and move on. I feel so angry that he hasn't been here to share my life, but then, all I want from him would be for him to tell me that he loves me."

Silence followed this statement. It wasn't exactly awkward, but it wasn't exactly comfortable either. Dave didn't regret hearing what he had heard. Indeed, he felt oddly privileged. He got the feeling that this wasn't something that Becky told many people. For her to trust him with it really meant something to him.

On the other hand, he kind of missed the easy feeling of talking to each other that they had shared only a few minutes before, and he wanted to bring that back. No sooner had he though of this then his eyes lighted on the Telsa coils, and he got an idea. "Okay, enough of the studying." He declared, as he got up, and began to plug in the various parts for the coils. "I've got something I want to show you."

Becky didn't know what Dave was doing, but she welcomed a change in subject. She walked up to one of the Telsa conduits, and touched it almost hesitantly, as if afraid that the thing might blow up in her face. "What are these things?" She asked.

"They're Tesla coils; I was using them to generate something called plasma. But I was getting so caught up in the science aspect, that I missed out on something kind of beautiful." With everything hooked up and ready, he opened the door to the iron cage that he used to protect himself from the plasma bolts. "I think you had better step into my cage."

Becky raised an eyebrow and shot him an amused smirk. "Okay, that's definitely the first time that anyone has ever said that to me."

Dave grinned back. "That doesn't surprise me."

Becky stepped into the metal cage and Dave told her to hold onto the bar at the front, so she wouldn't be electrocuted. He then keyed in a few commands on his computer. The Telsa coils came alive to the sound of a pre-recorded sequence of music, their blue light arcing around them in time to the music, creating a singular and beautiful show of lights that was truly breathtaking.

Becky gave a startled yelp when the Telsa coils began firing, but in time her eyes grew wide with amazement and wonder. "How is this possible?" She asked, in awe.

"The sound waves are firing at such a high rate, that they literally create sparks as they fly through the air, which is nerdy!" But, seeing that big smile on Becky's face was beginning to make Dave rather like his nerdy personality.

And he wasn't over quite yet. Once the music had ended, he then pushed another key on his computer. A new song began and Becky's eyes widened as she recognized the song that was playing. "You were listening." She said, "I played this song the other night on my show." She had liked to think that he had been listening, but actually hearing it confirmed made the gesture mean even more to her.

Dave smiled, a little shyly. He had waited so long for this moment, dreamed of having Becky Barnes smiles at him in that way. Now that it was actually happening, it was better than his wildest dreams could have predicted. Perhaps there was some magic inside of him that could attempt the impossible. "These coils are my life. Two years I'm down here, and they're making their own music, and it was lost on me, until I met you. And I heard you talk about music on your show, and…" He trailed off, really unsure what to say next. He looked at Becky and saw in her eyes that he didn't need to say anything at all. "Oh, I'm sappy."

But as the light and music danced around them in a graceful duet, and as he felt Becky's warm hand slipping into his own, he began to think maybe being a sappy nerd wasn't all that bad, after all.

* * *

This was probably one of my favorite scenes in the movie. Well, let's face it, I have a lot fo favorite scenes in this movie, because this is one of my favorite movies. Hope you liked it. Please read and review.

Now, just a few announcements. I am going to be starting at college full time this week, so updates might not be as frequent as I would like. But I will still be continuing with this story. I am going to need something to keep sane amdist all the school work I will have. Also, I am planning on a sequal for this story. One thing that I think would have been cool to see in the movie was how the Merlineans and Morganians worked as organized groups in different cities. I have sort of already done that in this story, but I will really be expanding it in the sequal. Look for that one when this particular story is finished.

Next chapter: Just when things start to get good for Dave, life throws him down the drain, almost literally, when he gets trapped in a bathroom. It's not very classy, as our favorite Moganian sorcerer might say, but you take what you can get.


	18. Bathroom Encounter

Bathroom Encounter:

Balthazar and Dave had worked out a training schedule based around the classes that Dave was taking. The morning after his date like an appointment with Becky, Dave had a morning class, which meant that he hadn't seen Balthazar or Veronica for almost twelve hours. Not that he minded. He needed and figured he deserved a break. When he arrived at NYU's campus, he was greeted with a very pleasant surprise.

He happened to run into Becky, who was walking and talking with a girl who looked a couple of years older then her. When she saw Dave, her eyes lit up and her face split into a big smile. "Hi, Dave." She said, as he came towards them.

"Hey, Becky. Great to see you." True, he had only seen her last night, but seeing Becky any time was proving to be great.

Fortunately, Becky seemed to have the same idea. "It's great to see you, too." She turned to her companion and said, "This is my friend, Miranda Ventura. Miranda, this is Dave Stutlar."

"It's nice to meet you." said Dave, as he shook hands with Miranda.

"The feeling is mutual, Dave. Becky here has been talking about you quite a lot the past few days."

"Miranda." Hissed Becky, blushing slightly.

"Just telling the truth, Becky. You can't blame me for that."

Dave, blushing himself at the bold statement, decided to change the subject. "So, uh, how do you know Becky?"

"Oh, I'm tutoring her in biology this semester. She has to take Intro to Biology next year, and I am trying to give her a jump start."

"Because I understand biology about as much as I understand physics."

"Well, I'm glad that physics isn't the only that that you have trouble with." Said Dave. He remembered Miranda now. Bennett was taking a few classes from her that she was student teaching. He said that she was hot, among other things. But Bennett had also mentioned several times she was an expert on all things animal and seemed to have an uncommon sixth sense when it came to the way that living things behaved.

Dave really didn't give much thought to this. Sure, Miranda was pretty, but compared with Becky; he really couldn't see anyone else.

Miranda saw this and quickly said her goodbyes to Becky. This left her and Dave free to chat the rest of the way to her class. Outside the room, Dave managed to get up the courage to finally ask her, "Would you to come by my lab tonight?"

Becky's heart leapt about ten feet in the air when she heard this. Dave was asking her on a date, he was actually asking her on a real date. "Yeah, I'd love too."

Almost afraid that it was too good to be true, he asked almost hesitantly, "With me?"

Becky's smile grew wider. "With you? Yes."

Dave grinned. "Just making sure. See you at eight?"

"Perfect." And for Becky, it was almost perfect.

After this, Dave scurried off to the bathroom, wildly elated. He was, in fact, so ecstatic, that he wasn't paying very close to his surroundings. Balthazar had been right when he had said that love could be a distraction, especially in one who was as inexperienced as Dave. He certainly didn't see the shadow that followed his footsteps into the bathroom, at least, not until it was too late.

* * *

Drake Stone hadn't really known what to expect when Horvath had recruited him to find the Prime Merlinean. He had known that the inheritor of Merlin's power was barely an adult, but he had been under the impression that he had had a bit more training. Even that expectation had been proven wrong. The aura was strong, but still wild and barely controlled. Drake was easily able to follow him without the so-called Prime Merlinean even batting an eye. His confidence began to return. Perhaps this would be easier to take care of then he thought. Horvath had told him if he found the Prime Merlinean, he was to keep him in sight and call him to take of it. But, now that Drake actually saw him, there was no need for that. He didn't need Horvath to handle everything. He could do this himself.

Thinking that he would be able to take care of this without breaking a sweat, he didn't bother to hide his approach. He strolled into the bathroom and leaned against the wall, as he looked closely at the so-called wonder boy. "So, you're the one."

"Uh, excuse me?" He asked.

"Prime Merlinean, eh?" Drake said, as he came forward, making no attempt to hide his sarcasm, "You don't look like much."

Dave was a little confused as to who this guy was and what he wanted. And why was he dressed like a Goth freak? "I don't really know what you're talking about."

Drake grinned. "Good." He turned and kicked the floor, sending a wave of energy to the hairdryers which came on with a dull roar. "Can't have anyone hearin' your girlie cries, right?"

Dave didn't actually know if he was in trouble of not. If this guy was supposed to be a Morganian, he would have at least thought that he would make some sort of declaration of his intentions. "I don't actually know who you are."

Drake paused midstride and turned as astonished stare at Dave. Not recognize him, how could he not recognize him? He was a star for crying out loud. Didn't this guy know a superstar when he saw one? "Really, you don't recognize me?"

No, actually, Dave didn't. And quite frankly, he was getting a little annoyed with this whole thing. "Are you in Depeche mode?"

Drake hadn't been expecting that almost half-cheeky response. For some reason, it stung a nerve. This made twice in the past twenty-four hours that a person hadn't recognized him and his ego wasn't taking it well. Plus, Dave wasn't an attractive woman who still sometimes occasionally flitted through his thoughts. He grabbed Dave by the shoulders, and shoved him up against the wall. Using magic, he pushed him up to near the height of the ceiling. As Dave dangled there, Drake mockingly asked, "What do you weigh? Like a buck-twenty?"

Dave, to be quite honest, didn't know what to make this. Sure, he was a little nervous, but wouldn't this Goth Freak (since Dave didn't know his name, he might as well call him that), didn't really seem all that interested in killing him. He would have expected him to do that right away. This didn't even feel like playing with him before the kill. It reminded him of something fairly different. "It's just high school all over again." He muttered.

Drake had moved off a few steps, leaving Dave hanging on the wall. He snapped his fingers, and Wonder Boy fell to the ground in a dishelved heap. Some small voice in the back of his head said that he should be doing something to restrain the Prime Merlinean, but he ignored it. He was having too much fun on his own with this.

"I'll tell you what: hit me with your best shot. Your most powerful spell."

Dave, still feeling a little bit nervous, scrambled to his feet and put on the ring. He tried to summon a plasma bolt, but nothing came from his hands. The only reaction he got was a somewhat sarcastic and half hearted grunt from Goth Freak.

"Nope, not feelin' it."

"I don't really know what could be wrong." Muttered Dave, feeling somewhat like a fool.

"Have you cleared your mind?" Drake asked, somewhat unhelpfully.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure."

"It's the pressure of the moment, nerves."

"I'm new at this."

"Take the ring off."

"Take it off?"

"Yeah, I mean it doesn't help me, But-"

This was a rather bizarre conversation to be happening between two supposed rivals. If Drake was supposed to be a Morganian, he wasn't doing a very good job. He was mercilessly teasing Dave to be sure, but that as somewhat different from the pure mercilessness of Horvath. To be quite honest, all such thought as killing Dave had gone from his mind by this point. He was just feeling by turns his usual cocky self, and also strangely curious as to how and why this little, scrawny teenager could be the Prime Merlinean. Drake wanted to see what he could really do.

However, he wouldn't get the chance this time. At that very moment, Maxim Horvath strode into the room. His entrance changed the dynamic of the scene, causing a wave of icy terror to slip through everything in the room, including Drake.

"Enough, enough you idiot." Growled Horvath, who was obviously not pleased with the fact that Drake had done nothing whatsoever to bring Dave to heel. "Watch the door."

Drake didn't normally take orders from anyone, but Horvath was enough to thoroughly cow him. He hurried out of the bathroom, wanting to avoid feeling the brunt of Horvath's anger. Though no one else could have known, that look of contempt, disgust and cold disappointment that Horvath had cast his way dredged up memories within his soul that he had been suppressing for years. However, for a split second after he left the bathroom, Drake's entire body shagged, his eyes and face held a look of pain beyond expression, as in his memory, the face of his last Master came before his view. No on could have known that that image alone was the one thing that Drake feared most.

But, he had had practice at ignoring the most painful part of his past. Desperately, he pushed the images back behind the veil. And within a few moments, he was his usual self. That was when he noticed the hallway outside the bathroom had another occupant. A black-haired woman was walking towards him, and Drake quickly pulled himself together. He didn't want a rumor to start that Drake Stone had had in a nervous breakdown in the hallway outside of a bathroom. That would be one thing he would never be able to live down.

The woman, however, didn't seem to notice his lapse. She came up to him, and said, "Excuse me, are you Drake Stone?"

That went a long way towards restoring Drake's self-confidence. At last, someone who truly recognized him for the genius that he was. "Why yes, I am."

The woman smiled. "Well, good. Then you're exactly the person I want to see."

Drake never saw it coming. The plasma bolt tore from the woman's hands and impacted into his stomach. He flew backward ten feet, before he immediately felt himself being lifted into the air and pulled back into the air and pulled back to the woman. He got an unpleasant feeling that this was some sort of payback for the way he had treated Wonder Boy.

"It is actually." Said the woman, with a smirk. When Drake's eyes bugged out, she continued. "Yes, I can read your mind. For a Morganian who has supposedly had so much experience and training as you have, it seems as though you have very little control over who can see into your thoughts. I don't normally read minds to get the upper hand, but this time, I felt it necessary. Now, that also means that I can see what you've done with Dave. Where is he?"

Drake cursed himself. Not he recognized her. He had only seen her picture in the Incantus hundreds of times. She was Veronica Blake, and if the person who was invariably by her side was anywhere close by, then he would be in big trouble.

And here he came, strolling around the corner, wearing that distinctive leather duster and other assorted effects. "Ah, Veronica," He greeted his wife, as though it were perfectly normal for him to meet her with a guy dangling five feet in the air in front of her.

"There you are. I got your message. Are you going to introduce me to your new friend?"

"Drake Stone. He was just about to tell me where Dave was."

"Oh, good." Balthazar glanced up at Drake. "We would appreciate it if you would tell us where he, without any trouble. It would make like so much simpler for all of us."

Drake knew that this was no idle threat. Beneath the flippancy of the tone was a hardness and danger that Drake would have been a fool to ignore. And indeed, in the faces of both sorcerers was a deadly seriousness. He always ready to admit when he was well and truly beaten. But Drake knew he didn't stand a chance against these two. So, he told them the truth.

* * *

When Horvath had appeared, Dave had been rooted to the spot in terror. His mouth had gone dry and any attempt he could have made at clearing his mind immediately vanished. When Drake disappeared and Horvath turned that gaze on him, Dave panicked. He tried to run, but of course, that didn't work. Horvath merely caught him with his cane and pulled him back. What's more, he seemed to do without any effort at all.

"So, Dave," He said, conversationally, as he backed him into a corner, "I'm going to kill you. Oh yes, right here in this dismal bathroom. It's not very classy, but there you go. But before we get to that unpleasantness, you're going to tell me where the Grimhold is. Where is she?"

Dave, though frightened out of his skin, was still perceptive enough to catch that unexpected question. "Who?"

Horvath stared at him for a moment. Then, slowly, a wicked smile spread across his face. "Ah, he hasn't told you, the truth about whose inside the Grimhold." This struck him as being incredibly amusing. "Oh, sweetheart, you've put your faith in the wrong man." His face grew serious once more, a mix of slight anger, sadness and pain. "Tell me, have you ever been in love?"

That was a loaded question, and before he could stop himself, an image of Becky flashed through his mind. Horvath saw it, and the discovery seemed to yield him no small amount of satisfaction. "You're in love right now. No, don't deny it." His black eyes became clouded with pain, as the bitterness of rejection long nursed in his soul welled within him. "I wonder what would happen if you lost her."

But how could this pathetic boy ever understand that? No, Horvath's pain was one that had never healed. Once a heart loved a woman like Veronica, it never stopped loving. And Horvath had kept loving Veronica, but he also hated her. To keep loving someone that you never could have, someone that you also hated, was the worst pain of all. It was why he had he had turned to the darkness for solace. The light of Merlin's teaching had given him no answers, only Morgana's shadows had been able to do that. Even in the midst of his love, the hatred had always been at the end of it. That was what Morgana had taught him: hate and love were merely different names for the same emotion, and in the end, they both only led to heartbreak. "You'd be no better than the rest of us." He spat, coldly, echoing Morgana's words that for all their rules and posturing, the Merlineans were truly no better than the rest of the world.

Dave perhaps only understood about half of this and Horvath knew that more philosophizing would be lost on him. "Where's the Grimhold?" He demanded once more, in a much less patient tone of voice.

Dave, despite himself, refused to crack so easily. He wasn't going to tell Horvath anything. "I don't know."

Horvath smiled indulgently. "Oh, Dave, you really are the most dreadful liar."

"That's what I keep telling him." said Balthazar, who had suddenly appeared in the doorway of the bathroom, with Veronica beside him, Drake still dangling in the air on his invisible leash. "Want your guy back?" He inquired sarcastically, before he flung Drake to the back of the room.

Horvath snarled, the jewel on his cane beginning to glow ominously. Veronica moved in, shoving Horvath out of the way so that she could get to Dave and protect him. Horvath stumbled back a few steps, but kept his footing. He threw his weight into a punch intended for Veronica's stomach, but she dodged around him, taking him by the shoulders and pushing him towards Balthazar. In the few seconds of Veronica's distraction, Balthazar had moved to charm one of the bathroom mirrors. The glass began shimmering like ripples on a pond, activating the Hungarian Mirror Trap.

Horvath and Balthazar began battling. They were to close range to utilize magic, so they had to resort to hand to hand combat. This was almost as dangerous as using magic, as a punch to the face of ribs could be almost as damaging as a plasma bolt. Both were trying to shove the other into the mirror. The Hungarian Mirror Trap was a spell that effectively trapped another person inside a mirror. They couldn't get out, though they could still see and be seen by the outside world. It was an effective spell, as the person couldn't get out, except seeing their own reflection. It also happened to be a very old spell.

"It's been a while since I've seen the Hungarian Mirror Trap." Said Horvath, as he strained against Balthazar's grip. With a quick turn of his body, he forced Balthazar back and tried to push him into the mirror in his own turn.

"I guess I'm just old-fashioned." Said Balthazar, and the two men were at it again.

Meanwhile, Veronica had placed herself in front of Dave, to shield him from any incoming threat. In fact, when Drake did actually manage to scramble to his feet. It merely took one look from Veronica to make him take a step back. The challenge in Veronica's dark eyes was clear. Did Drake really want to take her on? Drake really wasn't sure if he did.

Drake then looked at the fight between Balthazar and Horvath it seemed that Balthazar had finally come out on the losing side of the deal, and Horvath was pushing him towards the mirror. Thinking to give him a little help, Drake began to form a plasma bolt, aiming it at Balthazar.

However, before he could form the bolt fully, Dave spotted what he was trying to do, and yelled, "Balthazar, look out!"

Balthazar saw what Drake was trying to, and reacting with lightening speed, spun away from Horvath's grip. This, unfortunately for Horvath, put him right in the line of Drake's fire. And before he could move or redirect his aim, the plasma bolt which had been intended for Balthazar slammed into Horvath and pushed him into the mirror. Before Drake could curse his stupidity, he heard Veronica's voice behind him. "No one tries to do that to my husband and gets away with it."

Veronica snapped her fingers, and Drake was slammed into the bathroom stalls, where he fell to the ground with a sickening thump.

An unsettling quiet fell over the bathroom. "What are you doing here, Dave?" asked Balthazar, glaring at his apprentice.

Before Dave could answer, Veronica said, "Come on, you two, we should leave before either of these two wakes up or someone comes to investigate."

The three some hurried from the bathroom, and down the stairs. However, Dave had recovered from his shock by this time, and he had had enough. "Are you stalking me in my off-hours?"

"No, I sensed that you were heading for trouble, so Veronica and I had to hurry over and help you."

"Well, you almost didn't get there fast enough. Didn't you see what was going on in there? Horvath was trying to kill me."

"It's nothing personal against you." said Veronica, "Horvath's not a people person, he tries to kill everybody."

"His moral compass doesn't exactly point north, in case you haven't noticed."

"Well, what about yours?" Dave demanded. The tone of his voice caused the two of them to halt. Dave was glad that he had finally gotten some reaction out of them. He knew now that there had been things which they had been keeping from him, important things. "You haven't been entirely truthful with me, neither of you have. That guy called me the Prime Merlinean. Balthazar, what is that?"

It was obviously something or someone important, important enough for the bad guys to know about. Dave was sure that was art of the reason why he had been a target all of his life. But how could he defend himself and those he cared about from danger when he didn't know what he was meant to be himself? "Now, I'm doing anything else, until you start being truthful with me. Who is that Grimhold?"

There it was the questions that Balthazar had been dreading. He had known he would have had to face them sooner or later. Dave was too intelligent to not notice that he was special, even for a sorcerer. However, Balthazar hadn't wanted to answer them like this. Dave's destiny was not exactly small and unimportant. The things that he had to tell him were life-changing, and they might make him doubt himself even more.

"_Balthazar, he has a right to know."_ veronica told him telepathically.

And he did. Ultimately, Dave needed to know who he was fighting. "Morgana."

* * *

Please, read and review.

Next chapter: Dave finally learns the truth about his destiny. And, as it turns out, the recent events in New York are not only effecting a small group of people. The Morganians and Merlineans are gearing up for a conflict that could have far-reaching consequences for the city, and all the people who live in it.


	19. Descent of Magic

Descent of Magic:

Back at the subway turnaround, Balthazar and Veronica finally explained the importance of Dave's magical abilities. Dave was the inheritor of Merlin's magic. There had never been a sorcerer before Merlin who could equal his power, and there had not been another one after his death, until Dave came along.

They had to go all the way back to the beginning to do the story its full justice. Merlin had been an advisor to King Arthur, and there really had been a King Arthur, though his court had been a far cry from the sparkling, glittering eternal Renaissance festival so often portrayed in the movies. Arthur had come to power when the Romans had abandoned Britain in the 400's. He had struggled to hold Britain together as a united country, and for a time he succeeded.

However, trouble had soon come to Camelot, in the form of Morgana Le Fey, Arthur's half-sister. She had not been evil herself, at first, just a woman with a high degree of ambition and talent. Merlin had been intrigued by the young woman and had decided to take her on as his first apprentice. However, he had trained her to well and to quickly. It turned out that Morgana had a grudge against Arthur, as she believed that she should have been the one who should have ruled Britain. Before long, she was using her power to wreak havoc on Arthur's powerbase, intent on taking over the kingdom for herself. Merlin has cast her off, before Morgana had gained all the spells that she would have liked to learn from him, especially the most dangerous ones. Morgana had sworn revenge, and that she would not stop until Merlin, Arthur and all those who stood for their ideals were razed from the land, and she was the most powerful of all.

A war had broken out, the obvious one that the legends remembered, with Arthur and his forces struggling to hold Britain together, while his enemies fought him and amongst themselves for a greater share of power and land. Then, there was the history which had been forgotten, save those who read the Incantus, the war between the sorcerers, those who used their power to protect innocents thrown into the way of war, or the Merlineans, and those who destroyed life, the Morganians. And while Arthur's war had long since ended, the war between the sorcerers had never truly been won, by either side.

Once Dave had managed to get all of this, he then wanted to ask Morgana. "Morgana," repeated Balthazar, a name that left a foul taste in his mouth, "She was making preparations for The Rising, a spell that would enable her to enslave mankind by resurrecting dead Morganian sorcerers."

Dave's eyes grew wide when he heard this. "Raising the dead? Is that even possible?

"It is," said Veronica, "but only the most powerful sorcerer is capable of doing it. It's a spell beyond what even Balthazar or I could do. And it's not advisable for any sorcerer to do it except in the most extreme of circumstances. You have to know how to spill your life force into someone and activate their systems while still being able to use your own. Most often, it ends with two dead bodies instead of just one."

"It also can go against nature, since in all but the rarest of times, the dead should stay dead. What Morgana wanted to do was potentially the most unnatural thing that anyone could do. To raise that kind of evil, Morgana needed an enormous amount of power. And unfortunately, she did."

Dave looked at the Grimhold, which was sitting on the table beside them. "So, after the witch girl, this doll contains the greatest evil that the world has ever known?"

"Basically, yes." Said Veronica, "She's in the last doll, alive and not defeated. The only thing that had prevented her from being released after all these centuries is the fact that it's extremely difficult to do so. The energy needed to release any sorcerer from the Grimhold is the equivalent of how powerful the sorcerer trapped within it was."

"And what does this have to do with the Prime Merlinean?"

Here came the hard part. And Balthazar knew it was him who had to tell Dave this. "Merlin had three apprentices. Veronica and I were two of them, as was Horvath, before he went over to Morgana's side."

Dave looked at two of them in disbelief. "You two were Merlin's apprentices?"

"He cast a spell on us, to prevent us from aging, until we found the sorcerer who would inherit his power, and his dragon ring. Some part of you, however small, must share the same blood."

Dave looked at the green dragon ring on his finger. It was mind-boggling; that ring had actually belonged to Merlin,_ the_ Merlin, the guy that everyone read and knew about. But it almost seemed like to much. Merlin was the greatest sorcerer in the world. But he was just Dave Stutlar. Nobody knew he was, nobody cared. Dave had always known that he wasn't hero material. Why on earth would he have been chosen for this?

"As Merlin?" questioned Dave, who was understandably skeptical about the whole thing.

"Great men have always been called." Said Balthazar, "This is your calling." He got to his feet and looking Dave straight in the eye, continued in a serious voice, "Merlin said that the only one who can defeat Morgana once and for all is the Prime Merlinean."

"So, I'm supposed to save the world?" said Dave, as the full weight of Balthazar's statement began to become clear to him. "I just don't know if I'm up for that."

Balthazar's face grew dark. His eyes narrowed and resembled two flecks of stone. In all their time to training together, Dave had never seen Balthazar angry. Intense, yes; crazy, almost certainly; annoying in the extreme, of course. But he had never been truly angry until this moment, and Dave was almost afraid of him.

"You think I've been teaching you magic tricks for some little girl's tea party?" He growled, darkly.

He strode over to the circle, which let up in flame, as if to emphasize his point. "When you step inside this circle, I told you there was no going back. You swore an oath." He came closer to Dave and continued. "Veronica and I have been searching a thousand years for you." And to do that, they had had to give up any hope they could have had at a normal life, given up any chance of pursuing their dreams of raising a family in safety. "Fighting Morganians, protecting the Grimhold. You're going to set both of us free. You have to become the Prime Merlinean, and I'm not asking."

"And Dave, it's not something that concerns only you now." Said Veronica, "Your name isn't known as the Prime Merlinean, but it won't be that way, forever. Sooner or later, Morganians will know who you are, and you will have to defend yourself against them. And it won't be half-trained idiots in bathrooms."

"But, I haven't even done anything yet." Dave protested.

"That won't matter to them," said Veronica, "They already fear what you could become."

Dave looked at the ring on his finger once more. His mind was tumbling over all of the things that he had just heard. The weight of responsibility that was pressing upon seemed overwhelming now. All his life, he had never intended to be anyone or do anything special. But, from what Balthazar and Veronica was saying, the entire fate of mankind now rested upon his shoulders. It didn't matter how confidant one was to start with, that prospect would have caused anyone to be just a little frightened.

But, both Balthazar and Veronica were looking at him with expressions of absolute trust and confidence. They believed in him completely. In his time with the two of them, he had never encountered a word of disapproval from them. In the past few days, he had been able to do the impossible. He wasn't sure if he was ready to save the world yet, but maybe he could be ready to learn more.

* * *

In the past few days, the magical community of New York City had been rocked by the waves of powerful magic that recent events had unleashed. Regardless of Merlinean or Morganian, they could all feel the change in the air. The very fabric of magic wound about the entire world by life, was undergoing a change not seen in at least a thousand years. Sorcerers who battled for either the protection or control of mankind had always fought to a draw; neither side had ever been able to claim a true victory. Now, even for those who didn't know the entire story, all magic-users knew that a final reckoning was coming. Something monumental was about to take place, and its outcome would be either the triumph of light, or the devastation of darkness.

The stakes were very high, and they were becoming higher with each passing day. In New York, especially, the tension was thick. The two sides that fought for dominance in the city were using all their powers, single and combined to tip the scales in their favor.

In the main control room of the Merlinean stronghold within the depths of the Chrysler Building, there was a general hum of activity and a sense of tension that had not been felt there for a long time. Reports had been pouring in over the past few days. Morganian attacks had increased sharply, as had their assaults on Merlinean outposts. In return, the Merlineans, under the command of Michael Harris and Roger Ventura, were moving against the Morganian sects of New York, cracking down on random Morganian sorcerers in New York, to keep the Morganians from calling any stragglers to their ranks. In the face of a battle about to be joined by the two forces that had not been seen in years, both sides would need all of the help that they could get.

The gap between magic and technology was fast shrinking in this modern day and age. Researchers on both sides were trying to find ways to capture magic on pieces of machinery and computers. The control room of the Merlinean resembled something that might be seen in a high-tech spy movie. At its center was a large, circular table that glowed with holographic light. This was a combination of technology and magic, the holograms showed a highly detailed, 3-D map of New York, but with the images were ever shifting pictures of the troops of Morganians and Merlineans who were at war in the city. The hologram was shifting due to the memories of the sorcerers who reported to Michael and Roger.

Roger was in the midst of studying this map, a grim look on his face. He was facing the gravest challenge to his authority as High Sorcerer then any that he had encountered in all his years of leading New York.

When Michael appeared from one of his patrols around the immediate area, Roger snapped at him, "I expect you to be bringing me good news, and that's an order."

"As much as I would love to accommodate you, Roger, I'm afraid I can't this time. I just heard from the patrol in Lower Manhattan. There have been three reported assaults on our teams and each time it seems that they are getting stronger. And I was able to find several sects massing around the Tower site."

"Drawing upon the pain and fear that still lingers in the air from 9/11." Muttered Roger, "They must be preparing for something big if it they are trying to turn to such a source as that to power them. Are you certain that Horvath couldn't have contacted them?"

"No, but the sects in this city are not stupid. They know when something is up. They know that Horvath is on the loose, and where he goes, only trouble follows. They will be trying to see how they can use this situation to further their own powers."

"Any word on that Drake Stone character?"

"I've been able to follow him secretly for a good few days. I know that they are planning to use the satellites for The Rising." Michael made a gesture to the holographic table, sending his memories into the device. The image of New York shifted and zeroed in on an area in Lower Manhattan, focusing on several buildings which had had their satellites adjusted. When Michael manipulated the image even further, red lines appeared to connect into the shape of three triangles, which were unconnected, but seemed to be part of a bigger device.

"The Morganian Star, incomplete but it won't be for long." Said Michael, "I'm guessing that all the energy needed will be focused on the star's center; that's where the apex of the spell will be, and where whoever is casting it would need to be. But they're not being done in a linear fashion."

"Horvath knows that he is being watched." Said Roger, "And as long as he keeps us guessing he can go on his merry way planning the destruction of the world. Without the complete star outline, we might as well be shooting blind. Battery Park is too big a place to mount an effective strike. Half of our forces could be congregated in the wrong spot while the others will be massacred. "Roger crossed his arms, and looked at Michael. "Drake Stone, do you think that he would talk if you could bring him in?"

Michael shifted, obviously uncomfortable with the suggestion. "His mind is strange, even for a Morganian. I have not been able to get a clear feel for his mind. Some parts of it seem locked down tight, while others are open for anyone to see. If given the proper persuasion, he could tell us what we want to know."

Torture was not in the Merlinean code. However, there were ways to get information from an enemy without resorting to pain. Most of those had to do with mind control and deception, so that any prisoners would give up information of their own free will. Since he was the defensive and offensive head of the Morganian Circle, Michael was the one who would have been in charge of questioning Drake if he were to be brought in. however, Michael was not sure if he could do such a thing to the would-be Morganian. The very idea made him very uncomfortable for some reason.

"Roger, has it really come to that?"

"We are running out of options." Said Michael, "If we don't get some idea of what Horvath is planning and soon, then we will be at a disadvantage when it does come. Horvath must have some plan for trying to get the Grimhold; otherwise, he would not be going to such extremes to make The Rising happen. Drake Stone must know at least the basics, and at this point, I would be willing to take all of the basics that I can."

"Drake Stone is most likely nothing more than a pawn in Horvath's schemes, Michael. We can't start treating him the same way. He could be useful to us if given the chance."

Roger's face softened, but only marginally, and it was effectively hidden by his mask of stern determination. "I can understand your feelings on this matter, Michael, and I can see why you might feel a connection with Drake, given that your situations are similar. But I cannot have taken the risk of letting an opportunity slip away. Next time you see Drake on the loose, I want you to bring him in."

At this point, their conversation was cut short when Veronica came into the room. Michael saw her. "Any particular reason why you invited her along? She and Balthazar must be busy training the Prime Merlinean. They may not be in the mood for distraction."

"This must be a necessary distraction." Said Michael, as she came towards them.

"Michael, I got your message." Said Veronica, as she came up to them. "It sounded urgent."

"It is urgent." Said Roger, "I shall dispose of the detailed report and merely give you an overview. Veronica, New York is falling into chaos. It may not look like that on the surface, but the magical currents in this city are destabilizing. Morganians are on the move; they are targeting innocent victims to feed off of their terror and pain. Our outposts in the city have been targeted; a few of them have even fallen to Morganian forces. I'm encountering difficulties getting enough people to cover everything, and I fear, in the end, I might not be able to prevent disaster."

"Michael, I understand that this is a difficult time for all of us, and all of this Balthazar and I have been sensing. We are trying to prepare the Prime Merlinean for his task, but you have to be patient with us."

"I understand that, Veronica. And I also respect the fact that you and Balthazar, of your own free choice, remain in New York as independent sorcerers. You are not under my jurisdiction. But, I have to focus on the entirety of the sorcerers in this city. Therefore, you will forgive me if I must feel a need to be absolutely frank with you. Who is the Prime Merlinean? There is no mention of him in the Incantus, only that an immensely gifted sorcerer has appeared on the scene very quickly in the past week. But that is something that everyone who reads the Incantus also knows. This boy is supposed to be able to save us all, but I don't even know his name. Given those circumstances, Veronica, how can you ask that I trust the entire future of this city with a stranger?"

The question was not meant to be an insult. Veronica really didn't blame Michael for asking it. Most likely, she would have done the same thing if she had been in his place. However, she still hesitated in her answer. "You're saying that you want to actually meet him?"

"Yes, Veronica that is all I am asking. Do you honestly think that Merlin would have wanted something like this to be kept secret for so long?"

"Don't think that you have the right to know what Merlin would have wanted. You never even met him."

"So, perhaps that means that I am not blinded by bias when I speak of him."

"Roger, Veronica," said Michael, seeing that the argument was escalating past a simple disagreement. "This isn't going to help matters. It's this tension in our ranks during times of chaos which the Morganians feed on. We have to step back and see both sides of the issue."

Both Veronica and Roger took Michael's advice. They could see the wisdom in it, especially for Veronica herself. After so many centuries of this quest being centered on finding the Prime Merlinean, a task that had always been the sole mission of herself and Balthazar, letting anyone else help them was something that they have never considered. And as she thought of the deeper consequences, she wondered if there was some logic in what Roger desired. Dave could perhaps benefit from knowing that there were many others fighting on his side.

But she also knew that too many knowing the secret of Dave's identity could lead to disaster. If other Morganians caught wind that the Prime Merlinean had been found, Dave could be in even worse danger than before. He had enough to worry about as it was with Horvath.

"I will have to discuss it with Balthazar." She said.

"Well, you had better make it quick." Said Roger, "We cannot afford to wait for very much longer. Elise has been having visions, indistinct as of yet, but they all speak of the same thing: battle is coming, and there is no guarantee that it will not end in death. Whether or not we can be prepared for it, we are all running out of time."

* * *

Please read and review.

Next chapter: A guy in love can sometimes do stupid things; like trying to use magic to clean the lab. Dave learns a lesson the hard way when he finds himself unwittingly reenacting the famous scene from Fantasia.


	20. Troubled Waters and Mops

Troubled Waters and Mops:

Ever since finding out that he was the Prime Merlinean, Dave had been putting even more effort into his training. He still didn't know if he had it in him to be the successor of Merlin's powers. But he didn't want to let Balthazar down. He now was doing round after round of plasma bolts, and he was getting pretty good at it. At this point, his main problem was maintaining his shields long enough to defend himself against an attacker.

After more hours and more bruises, Balthazar finally granted him a rest. He collapsed on the stairs and said, "So, when will I know if I'm it? The Prime Merlinean?"

"The Prime Merlinean will become so powerful within," said Balthazar, reading from a page in the Incantus at a table nearby, "He no longer needs his dragon ring to cast magic. When you can do that, you're ready to take on Morgana."

That didn't really raise Dave's hopes all that much. It was hard enough for him to use magic with the ring. How he would be able to do anything without it seemed next to impossible. Pushing that thought away to brood on later, he suddenly noticed that Tank was chewing on some of the wires which were attached to several of his projects. "Tank, stop that. Why is he even here?"

Balthazar shrugged. "I like his company."

Dave merely rolled his eyes and was about to respond, when he suddenly noticed the time. Fifteen minutes to eight! Uh oh, he suddenly remembered that Becky was supposed to be here at eight, and the lab was a train wreck. "Uh, Becky's coming soon, and I'm standing in a puddle of pop. I have to stop and clean."

"We're not done training." Said Balthazar.

Dave responded desperately. "Balthazar, I've been waiting ten years to see this girl again. Do you have any idea what that's like?"

Balthazar started at Dave, and his piercing gaze softened for just a moment. Did he have any idea what that was life? How could Dave know what it was like to wait, sometimes for years, to see the woman he loved again, most often, without a certainly that they would even be alive? He realized, though, that Dave was a lot like him in that respect. He had waited for one girl when most would have given up. Didn't he know what it was like to do that? Yes, he did. Even for the sake of that, Dave deserved a little time with Becky.

"When I get back, you'd better be focused."

Balthazar left, but he did not go far, only into an inner room off one of the subway tunnels. He was close enough to keep an eye on him. He was still Dave's master, after all, and he had to make sure that he didn't do anything stupid.

* * *

Dave was pretty much doomed to failure from the beginning. The mess in the Lab, which included everything from ruined pizza boxes to old wax candles to even a little present so helpfully left by Tank, just seemed to be beyond his ability to clean in the ten minutes that he had. Perhaps, if Dave had been a little calmer about this whole thing, he might have been able to tidy up the Lab efficiently without making it spotless. However, he was in a rush and convinced that everything had to be perfect for Becky.

The task, viewed that way, did indeed seem hopeless. Until he caught sight of the Incantus lying on the table, and he got an idea. Why should he have to go through this aggravation, when he could make magic do the work for him?

Consulting the Incantus, Dave went to the symbol of Motion and pointed at one of the mops. A few seconds later, the mop stirred. The handle stood upright and began to move, the fibers grew legs and began to scrub the floor. Soon, the other mops followed suit in others parts of the Lab. The brooms were the next to follow, sweeping up crumpled pieces of paper and other bits of garbage. Dave turned to the sink, and the sponges began to clean the stacks of dirty dishes that Dave sent their way. Dave, once his work was done, felt rather pleased with himself. Convinced that everything was going smoothly, he ducked out to give himself a quick shower.

It would have been better if he had stayed or better yet, if he hadn't even attempted the spell. Dave wasn't aware of the fact that a spell like the one he had just cast was not just a simple matter of controlling a few mops. Even inanimate objects, if infused with magic, could almost take on a life of their own, though their actions were limited only to the intent they had been enchanted with. Thus, Dave had told a few of the mops to clean; he had also inadvertently given the same command to every cleaning implement in the Lab.

This, almost as soon as he disappeared, the mop and broom closet opened of its own accord and the brooms and mops that hung there all began filing out. They all began to clean every inch of the Lab, even those surfaces which had been moderately clean before, over and over again. Buckets were filled and refilled by the faucets, all of which were going full blast. Before long, the sinks overflowed and began to spill out into the floor. The Lab was literally turning into a cleaning storm, and with no one there to control it, it rapidly spiraled into absolute chaos.

So, when Dave returned, only to see the results of his handiwork, his horror and surprise might be guessed at. Panic welled within him. This was not good. "I command you to stop." He commanded, rather lamely and pointing his ring randomly about.

For a single instant, all activity in the room ceased, and Dave could have sworn that all the mops, brooms, ect, Turned to stare at him questioningly. Than, a squirt bottle appeared right in front of Dave and spritzed him in the face. And immediately, the manic cleaning continued.

The truth was that making chaos happen was a whole lot easier than fixing it. Dave didn't have that control as yet to fix his own mess. Not that he didn't try. With hood up to try and shield himself from the raining water, he rushed in and amongst the mops and brooms, trying to physically stop them. But, it was a useless venture.

Just when he thought that things couldn't get any worse, he heard a loud knocking at the door. Dave then felt a horror the likes of which he hadn't felt in a long time. If Becky were to see this, she would think he was indeed crazy; she would never want to see him again. But then again, turning her away without an explanation didn't bode to well either.

Dave clambered up the steps, which was none to easy as the mops seemed to have decided that Dave needed cleaning and were trying to soap him up. He opened the door, only to be greeted by Becky's excited, sparkling face. Dave's heart sank further; she had actually been looking forward to this. "Hi."

"Hi," said Dave, somewhat desperately, "You're on time."

"You forgot, didn't you?" said Becky, as though it were only to be expected from a guy and she didn't resent it.

"No, no I didn't forget." The mop strands snuck around Dave's ear, tickling his face. He tried to make them go away, all while looking and sounding like an idiot in front of Becky.

Her face became slightly confused. "Are you feeling all right?"

"Who, me? I'm fine, what about you?" The mop hit Dave right between the lugs, and though not exactly right on target, it was close enough for him to let out a noticeable wince and a slight moan. He realized that he really wasn't getting anything out of this; he should just get this over with before he caused himself anymore embarrassment. "It's probably best if you leave."

Becky's eyes flashed with hurt, before she steeled herself, and said with rather more dignity than Dave expected. "Okay, I will go."

"It's-It's not you. I'm having issues." He shut the door, and buried his head in his hands. Right now, it really sucked to be him.

* * *

Veronica had not necessarily been looking forward to telling Balthazar about Roger's request. She knew how her husband was. He was stubborn and independent, and he didn't always like seeking help from outside sources, even from the Merlinean Circles in the cities which they had lived in during their many centuries. In their travels, they had sometimes seen the trouble that good intentions could lead to, and that not even the Merlineans were free from their own forms of bickering and disagreements. She couldn't help but think that he might take Roger's request in the wrong light.

Nonetheless, she told him telepathically that she had something important to discuss with him. When she arrived at the subway turnaround, she found him in one of the inner chambers. "Hello, dear. Allowing Dave some alone time?"

"Actually allowing him to go on a date with Becky. I'm hoping that getting some of the hormones out of his system will mean that he is better able to focus on training."

"Well, considering how well that worked with you when you were courting Anna, this should be interesting."

"So, what did Roger want? You made it sound urgent."

"I'm afraid that it is. The echoes of chaos that we have been feeling over the past few days are true. There is a great deal of conflict currently going on between the Merlineans and the Morganians in New York. Roger told me that he fears that it might go beyond his control if things do not change soon." She hesitated for only a split second before she said, "And he also says that he is not feeling secure about out having found the Prime Merlinean."

"He just has to trust us. We have never let him down before, and Roger knows that."

"Yes, but consider the circumstances, Balthazar. Any High Sorcerer in his situation would be asking the same questions, regardless of what kind of experience they have."

"So, what does he expect us to do?"

"He said that he would like to meet Dave himself. Balthazar, I think it might be time to reveal Dave's presence to the rest of the Circle."

"Absolutely not!" cried Balthazar, "Veronica, are you crazy? Introducing Dave to the rest of the Merlinean Circle will only put him in greater danger than he already is."

"Balthazar, Dave can't do this on his own. I'm beginning to think it would be good for him to have some support besides just the two of us."

"Has it also occurred to you that he might find it discouraging to see that other apprentices his age are more advanced than he is?"

"It might actually help him gain confidence to know that he isn't alone in the world of sorcery. He has no motivation for becoming the Prime Merlinean, nothing but our word. If he knew that others were fighting for the same cause, it might make a difference."

"He seems to be doing fine on his own."

"Merlineans weren't meant to fight alone, Balthazar. That's why Merlin taught three apprentices, that's why he cast the spell on all of us, so that we could look together."

"And we all know how well that turned out, don't we?"

"The fact that Horvath turned against Merlin was something that he couldn't have predicted."

"But, that should at least be a sign to both of us to choose our allies carefully."

"You make it sound like the Merlineans in this city would jump at the chance to reveal him."

"Maybe not intentionally, but one wrong word could have consequences that we can't see now. In fact-" Balthazar suddenly stopped and looked in the direction of the lab.

"What is it?" asked Veronica, for a moment, their argument forgotten.

"Dave." He said, "He seems to have gotten himself into trouble."

The two of them moved through the tunnels into the lab beyond, up on the catwalk they saw that the floor was flooded with water, mops, and brooms. Plasma from the Telsa coil had been added to the mix, and now electric bolts were flying all over the place. Over it all, Dave was scrambling to stay away from the crackling waters, but when the Telsa Coils he had been clinging too topples towards the floor with a scream before stopping in mid-air a split second before his doom.

"Disperse!" cried Balthazar. Instantly, all the activity in the room froze. The mops and brooms dropped to the floor, lifeless and inert once more. The water receded until the floor was clear and the Telsa coils rescued the up-right stance. Only Dave remained out of place, hovering in the air, until Balthazar released him and he collapsed to the floor in an undignified heap.

"You have abused the sacred art." Balthazar growled coldly, "And you have abused the Merlin Circle. Magic isn't a game. No short cuts!"

Dave clambered to his feet by this point, and he was angry, too, at Balthazar, at Merlin (though he was long dead and so it did little good), Veronica, Horvath, and pretty much the entire world. Most of all, he was angry at himself. All his hard work had been for nothing, he couldn't do it, he just couldn't. "What rule is that, 13? 25? What difference does it make, if I can't even control a few mops?"

"The stronger the man, the stronger the sorcerer." said Balthazar, as he came down the stairs

"Thank you, thank for another useless motto."

"Dave, Balthazar, stop it." said Veronica, who could see that this exchange was hurtling headlong for disaster. But both of them were to wound up to pay her any attention.

"I have another one for you: you will not control your magic if you cannot control yourself, you need to stop your worrying and believe in yourself."

"Is that what you do?"

"What I do isn't the point."

"I think it is. I'm convinced that you exist purely to make my life a living hell."

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Dave almost regretted it when he saw the reaction which was on both of their faces. Veronica, who had almost looked like she had been about to try and mitigate suddenly took a step back. The look on her face was like that of someone who had been unexpectedly stabbed in the stomach. The pain and sadness her eyes were unlike any that Dave had ever seen. He saw her hand move unconsciously towards her stomach, clutching it as though she were afraid that a precious thing would be taken from her.

And Balthazar, his face grew even darker, anger and pain of more time than Dave could comprehend welled up inside him, eroding his normally rock solid control. He had killed, seen unspeakable horror and suffering, he had seen the worst that humanity was able to do to itself ten times over, and he had faced the prospect of losing the woman he loved countless times. Dave had experienced none of those things. Dave knew nothing of what it meant to suffer. There were some things, indeed, that Dave would never be able to understand.

"You know nothing about a living hell." He snarled a quiet, chilling voice that caused Dave to feel a cold shiver run down his spine. He may not have understood all that the reaction that Veronica and Balthazar entailed, but he sensed that he had crossed over an unwritten line that should have never have even been approached.

There was a long and uncomfortable moment of silence. Finally, Balthazar pushed his dark feelings down inside him. He took a deep breath, trying to regain his control and salvage something of this debacle. "You're making progress."

However, this was the last thing that Dave wanted or needed to hear. He at least wanted some idea of what he had done wrong, or some hint of how to avoid it in the future. Not more useless platitudes. "No, no, I'm not progress." He stomped over to Balthazar and took of the ring. "No, ring, right?" He pointed his hand at the chairs. Nothing happened. "Nothing. I can't even move the chairs. I can't do it."

He might as well give it up now. He was no one special and he just didn't have it in him to save the world. He went over to the desk where he had started his sneakers. Sitting down on the stool, he took off the pointy shoes that Balthazar had insisted he wear at the beginning of his apprenticeship. "I'm sorry, Balthazar. I'm not it. I'm not a hero. I'm not the Prime Merlinean. I'm just a physics nerd, who looks really stupid in these shoes."

A few seconds later, Dave was gone. "Well, that certainly went well." said Veronica.

"I suppose you think that you could have done better." Said Balthazar, his earlier ire returning and not heightened by the latest difficulty with Dave.

"Well, you certainly weren't doing anything to stop him."

"What was I supposed to do? Tie him up and force him to see reason?"

"You could have tried talking to him instead of berating him for this mistake. Dave isn't the first apprentice to fool with magic in this way. You remember how we were at his age, and how Merlin dealt with us."

"Well, of course I do. But, I'm not Merlin."

"That is certainly obvious."

"Are you implying that my training is deficient?"

"I'm only saying that if Dave has a lot to learn about being an apprentice, you have a lot more to learn about being a master. Balthazar, you are not giving Dave anything to indentify with. He was right; he doesn't know what you do. You're the best example he has of how magic can be used, but you're giving him nothing to work with."

"Veronica, he's my apprentice, not my son."

"Well, perhaps he needs to be a little of both. You know what Merlin said about apprenticeships. It's more than a teacher/student arrangement. The bond between both of you needs to be so deep that you would almost be able to call him your son."

Balthazar and Veronica had argued quite a bit. Dave had seen it often, and wondered that something like that could be so integral to their relationship. In truth, it went far deeper than that. Balthazar and Veronica loved each other deeply, but they were also both incredibly stubborn. They often didn't agree, and the little spats which they had enabled them to let off some steam, so that they weren't constantly at each other's throats. Most of the time, these little arguments were quite harmless, forgotten almost as soon as they ended.

But sometimes, tensions over an important issue could spill over and the argument exploded beyond control. When that happened, harsh words and emotions passed between them, and since they knew each other so well, they both knew what could cause the greatest pain.

Balthazar's next words were spoken in this vein, before he could fully think of what they might to do Veronica. "Perhaps the reason that I can't treat him like a son is because the only chance I had was taken from me thanks to you. Because of you, I haven't had any hope of knowing what it might feel like to have a child of my own."

Veronica's entire body stiffened and her eyes blazed with sudden anger and hurt. "In that case, perhaps it's a good thing I can't have children. If you were to treat them as you do Dave and me than you would probably be arrested for abuse."

Balthazar immediately knew that he had gone too far, but the words were said, and judging from the look on Veronica's face, he knew that right now an apology would be in vain. The silence between them was frigid. Veronica suddenly moved towards the door. "I'm leaving."

"Where are you going?" Balthazar knew that was a lame question, but he felt he needed to say something.

"Out for some air." She stopped and turned to glare at him. "In other words, anywhere that isn't here."

With that, she left the lab, slamming the door behind her, leaving Balthazar alone in the silence of his own thoughts.

* * *

Please, read and review.

Next Chapter: The turning point of the story arives, when with a little help from Becky, Dave finally realizes the true strength that resides within himself.


	21. The Turning Point

The Turning Point:  
to say that Veronica was in a bad mood would have been an understatement. As she stalked down his streets of New York, people in her path seemed to instinctively avoid running into her. She didn't even seem to notice this, and practically snarled out her order to the barista. She had unusually quick service just so the poor barista wouldn't feel the brunt of her anger. The black cloud which was hovering Veronica meant that most of the other people in the coffee shop gave her a wide berth, so she had plenty of silence to mull over her own thoughts, most of which had something to do with severely hurting Balthazar. All she could think of for a long time were his hurtful words and how terrible they had made her feel. Deep down, she knew that he hadn't really meant them. But the words had touched a nerve that ran deep in their relationship, and had caused friction for them more than once.

There was a good reason for this. It reminded them both of the dark time in their marriage, when the taint of Morganian magic had been incredibly strong. Even after nearly four hundred years, the agony of what Abigail Williams had taken from her could still be overwhelming, and what it had driven her to do.

Veronica's hand moved to her stomach, just as it had a short time ago in the argument with Dave. He hadn't known what the gesture had meant. But Veronica was painfully aware of what it meant: it was the consequence of her action. She was always aware of the fact that there was a gnawing emptiness in the place where her womb should have been. She still couldn't regret the choice that she had made to keep herself from having children, and yet how she wished sometimes there could have been another way.

She felt hot tears burning beneath her eyes. She shoved them back. No, she was not going to cry. She had spent all her tears on this subject long ago. It was folly wasting time crying about it. It was over and done with now, there was nothing she could do but accept and live with the consequences. Still, that was easier said than done, and her emotions got best of her, despite her pretense of control.

It was during these thoughts that a group of chatting and laughing teenagers came into the coffee shop. They ignored Veronica's presence, and Veronica didn't notice them either. However, one of them saw her as a familiar face. And though she had only met her for all of five minutes, but something about Veronica's posture drew her to separate herself from her friends for a moment. Coming towards her, she said "Excuse me, Mrs. Blake?"

Veronica had been so wrapped up in her brooding cloud of depression that she hadn't noticed Becky's approach. She jumped slightly, before looking at the person who had interrupted her, a sharp retort forming on her lips, but when she saw the evident concern on Becky's face, those words died immediately on her lips. "Becky, Becky Barnes? Forgive me, I didn't see you."

"Are you all right, Mrs. Blake?" said Becky, "I mean, I know it's probably none of my business, but you just look terrible."

Veronica managed a small smile. "I'm not really all right, Becky. But there really isn't anything than you can do to help me. Please, don't concern yourself about it.

Most other people might have been put off by this statement, just because most people would have seen it as the end of the conversation. Becky, however, had always been one to persist. "Is it something with your husband?"

Veronica snapped her head around to look at Becky, utterly surprised to see a look of genuine empathy on her face. In this moment, a strange thing happened between these two women, which Becky was not aware of, and Veronica herself was unable to explain. Veronica felt a wave of peace wash over her, as though her anger and pain were being washed away by an unseen source. At the same time, she also saw Becky glow with an aura-like light. It was fleeting and brief, like a candle that gives off a glow only intermittently. But Veronica was still certain that she saw it. This surprised her. Even though all live things possessed auras, magic-users were of a particular kind and hard to miss. She was also struck by the same feeling of faint familiarity in Becky, as if she had been a trace of that aura somewhere before.

All of this combined to make Veronica look at Becky differently than just Dave's potential girlfriend. She sensed that Becky actually had wanted her to feel better, and that desire had been so strong, it had actually affected Veronica's emotions.

"Yes," She said, wondering what would happen if she tried to press this discovery further. "Balthazar and I had an argument. A rather serous one."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Said Becky, genuinely, "I hope it's nothing that you won't be able to work out."

"Oh, we probably will. It just might take awhile." She noticed that Becky was regarding her with a pondering gaze. "What is it?"

"Well, I… I don't know. I haven't known you all that long, but Dave did tell me a lot about you, and from what he said and I saw, you two really don't seem like the kind to fight. You just seem to have been together a very long time."

"Believe me, sometimes it feels like an eternity." She shook her head, "I'm sorry, I don't mean to sound harsh, the two of us have just been going through a lot of stress. It was probably destined to make us crack at some point."

"This doesn't have anything to do with Dave, does it?" Becky asked, now looking a little worried herself.

Veronica hasn't exactly sure how to answer that question without giving away too much. "Well, little, perhaps. Becky, listen to me, Dave is also going through a lot right now. But, I can promise you, whatever happened, none of it has anything to do with you."

Becky looked down, a little embarrassed. "We did have a date this evening. But when I got to the Lab, Dave was just acting really weird, and he told me to leave. I could tell that he didn't want too, and I just want to be able to see him and tell him that I don't hate him. I'm sure that he must hate himself right now."

"Himself and several others, I expect." Said Veronica, under her breath, then she smiled a little and said, "Becky, speaking from many years of experience, I can tell you that these things do work themselves out, but sometimes, you have to take the first opportunity that comes your way. Otherwise, the separation will only last longer. You're young; avoid that route if at all possible."

Becky took a moment to process this, before she nodded. "All right, I'll try. Just make sure to follow your own advice, Mrs. Blake."

Veronica laughed and said, "Becky, it's Veronica, please. One last thing I could tell you, Dave, he's crazy about you. I don't think you could ask for someone better."

Becky smiled, "Thank you, Mrs.… I mean, Veronica. I think so, too."

"I'm glad to hear it. Now, go back to your friends, enjoy yourself. Don't let the trouble of an old lady such as myself keep you from your life."

As Becky moved off with a last polite farewell, Veronica found herself watching her intently. Becky was wiser than her years, and seemed to have an uncanny knack for perceiving what others were feeling. Perhaps, it was merely a thought on her part, but Veronica couldn't help but think that her meeting with Becky at this particular moment in their lives, at this particular coffee shop wasn't just a simple coincidence. Indeed, there was far more to life than coincidence, and Veronica felt that this was one of those moments. Perhaps, once this was all over, she would want to look closer at Becky Barnes, and see if there was anything behind her special gifts, a reason that went deeper than she could ever have been aware of.

For about half an hour, Veronica sat thinking, but now not quite as depressed as she had been before, and Becky sat across the coffee shop, laughing and talking with her friends. The evening might very well have brought no change in their positions. But, Becky suddenly saw the flash of a familiar face in the window at the front of the shop. She turned her head, only to see Dave turn his face and walk away. Becky wondered why he hadn't tried to come in and talk to her. She then remembered that a few guys from the radio station were among the friends with her at the coffee shop, and one of them would be the handsome Andre. Maybe Dave thought had thought there was some competition which he couldn't hope to win against. She didn't know what to think of this. Did Dave think that just because he had messed up one date, she would turn around and start anew with someone else right away? That wasn't why she was, and she would make Dave see that, see that she wanted to give this a chance, if he would only allow her to.

She remembered Veronica's advice, and decided that she would take this chance with Dave. She excused herself from her friends, and grabbing her coat, she hurried after Dave. She followed him for a few blocks, hoping that he would turn off somewhere, as she didn't want to really have a relationship talk in the middle of the sidewalk. She was surprised saw him disappear into the Chrysler Building, and even surprised that he wasn't immediately turned away. She had thought that the building would surely be closed at this time of night.

She crossed over and entered the building. She was immediately stopped by a man who she had never seen before. "Excuse me, Miss, but the building is closed."

Becky stopped and looked at him. "I beg your pardon?"

"The building is closed. I'm afraid that I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

Becky saw on closer inspection that the guy was no more than a few years older than herself, but seemed to have a very condescending attitude. Becky had never liked being looked down upon, and she certainly wasn't going to take any lip from someone who didn't look like a guard or security or anything. "Well, what about the guy who just came in before me? Why didn't you stop him?"

"Because he had the proper authorization?"

"What's that supposed to mean."

"You know what? I don't have to tell you. It's none of your business anyway, so just move along."

Becky crossed her arms, and glared at him. "No, I won't move along until you tell me what's going on here."

"Look, Blondie," He said, taking a menacing step forward, "I'm normally amenable to a pretty face, but not this time. Leave now, before I have to use force."

Becky would have had a sharp retort all ready for him about battery and assault when suddenly; a new voice entered the conversation. "Richard, is that any way to talk to a lady?"

Both Becky and Richard had been so eager to trade threats and insults that they noticed a man, with black hair and blues eyes approach them. He had stopped and stared at the two people in front of him, and particularly Becky, with an expression of surprise, and strange recognition. He had immediately come over to put a stop to the argument before it could draw a scene.

Becky didn't recognize the stranger, but Richard apparently did. The snarky, smug attitude fell from his face, and his whole personality instantly grew humbler. "Oh, Master, er, I mean, Mr. Harris, I was just…"

"Yes, I can see what you were trying to do, Richard. There was no need to resort to such rudeness. I'm sure that had you asked politely, she would have been more than happy to leave."

"But, sir, you know-"

"Richard, enough." Said the newcomer sternly, then said in a voice so low that Becky almost didn't hear it (and she did wonder afterward if she should have been hearing it at all), "We mustn't speak of such things, especially at this time. Leave me alone with her; I shall take care of it."

Richard muttered a few indiscernible remarks of understanding and quickly hurried away. Becky had had no idea what they were talking about, only that she got the feeling that she was witnessing something that was way out of her league. She also didn't know how she felt about being left alone with this stranger. She expected him to tell her to be on her way as well.

However, when he actually turned to face her, Becky had an unusual feeling of easiness when she looked in his eyes. He smiled at reassuringly, and Becky felt an odd sense of safety. "You must forgive Richard," He said, in a kind tone, "I fear that he sometimes allows himself to be to prideful. Is there anything that I can help you with?"

"I, well, I was only wanting to follow someone in here. I know that sounds weird, but he's a friend of mine and I wanted to talk to him."

"Are you referring to the young man with light brown hair and eyes, who looked so low he could have been buried?"

"Yes, that's him."

The man looked at her for a very long moment, and Becky felt almost a little uncomfortable under that penetrating gaze. Was that concern that she saw flickering in his eyes for a moment? "Well, if you are his friend, you should be all right. He was heading that way," He pointed behind him and a little to the left. "Towards the elevators. I'm guessing that he was heading for the observation deck."

Becky could feel her heart fluttering slightly at the mention of the observation deck, but she tried to bury it. "You're just going to let me pass?"

"I believe that I can trust you. Don't worry; you should meet with little resistance in the way up."

Becky couldn't believe her good luck. She also wondered why this guy was letting her though, but she wasn't about to push her good fortune by asking more questions. All she cared about at this point was Dave. "Well, thank you very much, sir." She said, as she hurried past him and headed for the elevators.

She didn't think to look back, nor did she hear his, "You're welcome." She wasn't able to see that the smile on his face faltered as he watched her go, nor the look of longing that grew in his eyes. She might have perhaps said that it resembled the look of a man who was watching the ghost of a memory, that was just beyond his reach, but which he wanted so desperately to hold. And she didn't hear his voice, whispering a single word as though it were a prayer, "Rebecca."

* * *

Dave had just come up to the observation deck of the Chrysler Building. He was really to depressed to remember how he got there, not to notice that when he had come into the Chrysler Building that he had almost been stopped by a young man who looked about 23, had short blond hair and green eyes. He had been coming forward to stop him, but then he had stopped in surprise when he had felt that powerful aura radiating off of him. He hadn't recognized Dave, but he had supposed him to be one of the apprentices, or even journeymen considering the amount of power he had. So, he had allowed him to pass unchallenged. If Dave had only known that he had managed to subdue a journeyman of the Merlineans in New York, he might very well have thought differently of his abilities.

As it was, he had come here to cool down, to try and regain his scattered thoughts. As he stepped out onto the deck, he was met by a wave of memories and feelings. It was here, on this very deck that Dave had come face to face with magic for the firs time. It seemed like a lifetime ago. So much had changed, but he was still essentially the same: a nerdy physics major who didn't have it in him to be hero. He had thought, just for a little while, that there was something in life he was good at, something that might truly make a difference in the world. He should have known better, though. He had lost Becky, he was a failure at magic and he had let down Balthazar and Veronica. Strange, he really didn't know which of those three things caused him the most pain.

Becky probably had the lead slightly, but there was till that part of him which he couldn't ignore, a part that had been tied to magic ever since Balthazar had given him Merlin's dragon ring ten years before. Now, having actually tasted magic, he didn't know how he would be able to go back.

And then, Balthazar and Veronica really did hurt. Even though Balthazar had seemed to do nothing but lecture and torture him with magic lessons ever since they had met, he had also believed in him. Balthazar had saved him from death, he had been the first to say that Dave was meant for something more than he could ever have dreamed of, and had made him face his fears, only to see that they were perhaps the most incredibly blessings. In many ways, and without Dave really knowing it, Balthazar had become almost like a second father to him. He had put so much effort into him. And Dave felt like had failed him.

Dave looked at the dragon ring in his palm. So much power in this one little object, so much history. Even he was conscious of the responsibility and legacy that he was supposedly the inheritor of. It only made him more depressed. He wasn't a hero; he wasn't even competent in magic. He didn't feel worthy to be even holding this thing. Maybe he should just throw it away and let someone more deserving find it.

It was in the mist of Dave's darkest moment that a light from an unexpected place shown in his life. He was just about to throw the ring away, when he heard Becky's soft voice behind him. "Dave?"

Dave turned around, and he was honestly surprised to see Becky. After what had happened, he had expected that she would want to speak to him again. "Becky, what are you-"

"I saw you outside the coffee shop and followed you. You looked a bit more distressed than usual."

"That bad, huh?" muttered Dave.

"Did you really think that one botched date was going to make me hate you forever?" Becky asked.

"Yes." Dave answered after a moment of somewhat awkward silence. He had thought that, to be perfectly honest. But, when he saw the soft look in Becky's face, he knew that he had been forgiven. And maybe, he had blown the whole thing out of proportion.

Becky was glad that Dave was willing to listen to her, she asked, "Uh, I do need to ask you thing."

"What?" asked Dave, immediately fixating on the worst thing that she could ask.

"What are you doing up here?" She had finally begun to be fully aware of the fact that she was very high up in the air, and her pulse was starting to race with adrenaline.

Dave saw that Becky looked a little nervous. "What, are you afraid of heights?"

"A little bit, yeah." said Becky. Actually, she wasn't just afraid of heights, she was pretty well petrified of them. Once, when she was a little girl, she had visited the Grand Canyon with her mother. She had refused to come to within ten feet of the rim. She was a little better at hiding it now, but she still preferred to keep her feet solidly on the ground.

Dave had also been afraid of heights not to long ago. But, truth be told, after all of the things he had gone through, a little bit of height was the least of his worries. "Come on, it's not that bad."

Dave reached out and took Becky by the hand and with a little bit of gentle coaxing, he managed to bring her to the edge of the observation deck. Though she still felt the butterflies fluttering madly in her stomach, Becky found herself looking out on the twinkling, golden lights of New York. It was actually kind of beautiful. She realized that if it hadn't been for Dave, she wouldn't be seeing this right now, or at least not seeing it in quite the same way.

Becky was beginning to realize that she liked Dave. She really liked him a lot. And it was because of those things that stood out, those qualities that made him shine. Dave just seemed to have a way of seeing things that no one else thought of. It showed in everything he did. He didn't need to fit into be special.

"Do you remember when you drew King Kong on the bus window, and it lined up with the Empire State Building?"

"You remember that?" said Dave, honestly surprised that she had.

"It was cool." Said Becky, with a smile, "You saw the world your own way."

"I was just trying to impress you." said Dave, though he was kind of touched because Becky had clearly meant her words as a compliment.

"Well, it worked." Said Becky, with a smile, "Not bad for a ten-year-old kid?"

"That's ironic."

"What? What do you mean?"

"The bitter irony of that statement, that ten-year-old me is way cooler than twenty-year-old me."

"I think that twenty-year-old Dave he's, he's okay."

"Like, 'all right' all right, or 'All Right!' all right?"

Becky laughed. "I think that he is somewhere in between."

"That's a diplomatic answer, and thank you."

After a moment, Becky said in a soft voice "The way that you see the world, Dave, it's what makes you special. But you don't try to fight against it, even though a lot of others might have tried to go with the crowd. It's one of the things that I like about you."

Out of all the things that Becky had said to him that night, this was the greatest surprise of all. "You like me?" He had been hoping to hear those words come from her, but he had wondered if would ever actually be able to hear her speak them.

"Is that so hard to believe?" She asked.

"Well, yeah. I mean, you're pretty and talented and amazing and…" Realizing that he was rambling, he finally said, "It just doesn't make any sense that someone like you would like someone like me. It's like the little-red-haired girl and Charlie Brown."

"I always thought that it was kind of sad that Charlie Brown never had the nerve to actually talk to the little-red-haired girl. I always liked to think that she might have been noticing him from afar just like he was."

"You saying that you were looking at me when we were kids?"

"Yes, I am, and I did. I'm really glad that you came back into my life."

"Kind of a strange coincidence, wasn't it?"

"Maybe some people might call it that. But I think that it felt a bit more like magic."

Dave thought about this. Balthazar had often said that magic could affect people's lives, that the web of magic could draw people together who were meant to play a big part in each other's lives. Was that what had happened with him and Becky? Was magic the force that draw them together? If that were the case, than maybe magic was a greater thing than even he had thought.

"I'm glad that I found you again, too." Said Dave, then he added a little shyly, "And one thing that I like about you is that you never seem to judge people. You're so open and welcoming about everything."

Becky smiled at the praise. "Thank you, Dave. You know, I think the two of us could make a good pair."

"Really you do?"

"Yeah, if you're willing to give us a chance."

"I think maybe I could."

That was the turning point for Dave. Sometimes, it only took putting things into perspective that made all the difference. Becky believed in him, and he was going to do everything in his power to make sure that he didn't let her down. And it that meant becoming the sorcerer he could be, then suddenly, it didn't seem so impossible after all.

* * *

Please read and review.

Next chapter: Dave gets a little more help from Veronica when it comes to relationships with masters and apprentices. But it will take an ambush for Dave to finally put his skills to the test.


	22. Ambush

Ambush:

Meanwhile, Veronica was sitting in the coffee shop, mulling over what she had told Becky. She spoke from experience. Often either she or Balthazar had to put aside their frustrations and stubbornness in order to make peace. Though she was still hurt by what Balthazar had said, she didn't want to be the "do as I say, not as I do types". What was more, she suspected that Becky was around to stay, when and if Dave let her in on the secret. She was a part of his life. Veronica wanted to be an example that Becky could look up to, and someone that she could come to for advice should she need it.

So, when she felt Balthazar's presence pushing tentatively at her mind, she responded, _"Yes, Balthazar?"_

"_I'm sorry, Firefly. I really am. I should never have said those things."_

"_I'm sorry, too. We're facing the biggest challenge we've ever had. We don't need to be at each other's throats."_

"_You're right as usual, Veronica." _

One thing about having been married for so long, Balthazar and Veronica had a remarkable gift of understanding. Their arguments could be violent in their words, but once the pain lessoned, words could heal the rift just as quickly. So though perhaps they would talk more in depth later, for now, they were at peace with each other.

"_I've been thinking about what you said,"_ said Balthazar, as he knew that the argument was settled for now. "_Maybe we could introduce Dave to some of the other Merlineans_."

"_My, Balthazar, you're actually considering establishing a connection with the other Merlineans?"_

"_Yeah, I must be losing my touch. But, I'm just thinking that if he had other apprentices to lose some steam with, he wouldn't have stormed like he did."_

"_I agree, Balthazar,"_ said Veronica, _"It's not good for him to think he's alone. But perhaps we should do what we should have done from the start."_

"_What?"_

"_Let him make the choice himself."_

A pause, and than, Balthazar said_, "Yes, that would probably be best. If he ever does com back. I was a little harsh on him."_

"_Well, Dave doesn't need to think it's hopeless. He will come back, though. I don't think that he's one to give up so easily."_

"_I hope you're right. Will you come back soon?"_

Veronica smiled a little. _"I'm on my way, Dearest."_

That broke the link, and Veronica, back on her own in the coffee shop. She felt a sudden desire to go back to the lab where Balthazar was and give him a hug, just so he knew that all was forgiven. As she exited the coffee shop, she just happened to run into Becky and Dave.

"Oh, Veronica, hi." Said Dave, a bit uncertainly, "I wasn't expecting to run into you here."

"I was just leaving, actually." Said Veronica, "Please, don't let me disturb the two of you."

"Well, I'm afraid that I have to get back to me friends." Said Becky, "We were planning the line-up for tomorrow night's show when I ran out on them." She turned to Dave, "Bye, Dave, thanks for the chat."

"No, no, thank you, you're the one who helped the most."

Becky blushed and said, "I'll call you later, all right? We can set up a proper date this time."

"Yeah, that'd be great. I figure that I owe you."

Becky gave Dave one last smile. Before leaving though, she said to Veronica, "Thanks for the advice, Veronica. I hope that you manage to patch things up with Mr. Blake."

"Thank you, Becky; I have a feeling that I will."

As Becky went into the coffee ship, Dave looked at Veronica, "You didn't say anything to embarrass me, did you?"

"Dave, stop being so paranoid. I merely told Becky that it would be wise of her to give you another chance. Since you came back together, I can only assume that it was advice that was successful."

"Yeah, okay, I'll admit that." said Dave. He looked a little uncertain for a few seconds, before asking. "Hey look, is, uh, everything okay with you, me and Balthazar. I think that I left a lot of tension behind me."

"Don't worry, Dave. Balthazar and I have been though out share of rough times. We'll work it out."

"I was actually going to go over to the lab and see if I could work things out, provided he's still there."

"Oh, don't worry, he is, and he is worried sick about you."

"How do you know that? I thought that he didn't have a cell phone."

"He doesn't. We used telepathy."

"Telepathy? Really?

"Don't sound so skeptical. It's actually quite a basic spell once you get the hang of it. Of course, since Balthazar and I have been together for so long, we can do it practically without thinking."

The two of them began walking down the street, back towards the lab. The silence between them seemed quite congenial, which Dave was happy about. He was beginning to realize that he respected Veronica almost as much as he did Balthazar. Veronica was strong and spirited, but there was a deep kindness in her that reminded him a bit of his mother. He was beginning to think that Veronica had been through a lot of pain in her life. And she must have had the patience of a saint to have put up with Balthazar all these years. Despite himself, Dave was curious. He realized that he really didn't know that much about Balthazar or Veronica, and if he was going to be spending as much time in the future with them as he thought he was, than maybe that kind of thing wouldn't be a bad thing to know.

"Hey, Veronica, you mind if I ask you something?"

"What?"

"Well, I've heard you tell Balthazar that he reminded you of when you were training with Merlin. What was he like? I mean, really?"

Veronica laughed a little, "Well, that certainly is a loaded question. I hardly know where to begin. He was stern, Dave, in much the same way as Balthazar. He never cut us any slack, and didn't tolerate any excuses. He demanded the best of us because he knew that we could achieve it. He never allowed us to give up in ourselves."

"That actually sounds a lot like Balthazar." Said Dave.

"Yes, and like you, Dave, we suffered our fair share of cuts and bruises during our training. If it's any consolation, though, Balthazar and I together probably caused Merlin more headaches than you ever did."

Dave was surprised at this. "You're kidding? You two were troublemakers?"

"Is that so very hard to believe? Balthazar was not always perfect, and neither was I. We made many mistakes in our early years of training. In fact, we rather hated each other when we first met."

"Really?"

"Yes, for some reason, our personalities just clashed. We played the most awful tricks on each other, abusing our magic terribly. In fact, one such joke exploded in such a way that if Horvath hadn't run to tell Merlin what we were doing, we both might have died."

"What happened?"

"It was really more like a competition. Balthazar and I bet each other that we could finish our chores the fastest. I was cleaning the castle kitchens and he was sorting gear in the armory. We used magic in order to try and get ahead of the other, and it got out of control, resulting in a scene that was not unlike your experience with the mops."

Dave flinched at the reminder of that. "What did Merlin do when you told him about that?"

"He wasn't happy, as you may imagine. He took our rings away for a month, and made us do our chores without magic. It was after that both of us decided not to use magic in such an underhanded manner again."

Dave took a moment to consider this. In a way, it made him feel a little better knowing that Balthazar had struggled in his early years as he did. And rather than lowering his opinion of him, this revelation rather raised it. Balthazar hadn't allowed set backs to stop him; why should he think that he think that he should?

"So, he was stern and exacting, what else was he like?"

"He was also the kindest, gentlest man I've ever met. He was the closest thing to a father that Balthazar and I had. I always knew that I could bring him any of my problems, and I knew that he would always listen to me, and never give any advice until he had heard me out completely."

"But, he still drove you crazy?"

"Well, of course he did. He would hardly have been a good master if he hadn't. Look, Dave, I know that this is all very hard to understand sometimes. The relationship between an apprentice and a master is a bond that is just as strong as that of a parent to a child. And I think, just like parents, it helps to have someone to talk to who is going thought the same thing."

"Like you?"

"I'm always here to help you with advice if you need it, Dave. But I think there might be some things that Balthazar might want me to teach you. Not master knows everything, so often masters will have others who come in to fill in gaps. So, I'm afraid that I won't always be able to you give you any guidance. I was thinking other apprentices like yourself, those who are going through their own training and have their own horror stories to tell."

Dave perked up when he heard this. "Other apprentices? You mean, there are actually other apprentices like me who are training?"

"What, Dave, do you think that Balthazar and I are the only Merlinean sorcerers in the world, and you're the only Merlinean apprentice? There are others who fight the very same war that you're preparing for."

"Really?"

"Yes, right here in New York, actually. Balthazar and I were wondering if you would like to meet some of them."

Dave was slightly awestruck but this new information. Truthfully, he had not thought that there might be others with which he could commiserate. He had felt rather alone in this whole thing. It was quite nice to know that he wasn't the only one who had ever had trouble with his master.

"I think that would be cool. I felt a need to blow off some steam after what happened with Balthazar, but I wasn't sure who to turn to. After hearing that you had your difficulties with Merlin, though, and youth still managed to come out all right, I don't feel so hopeless."

"Dave, such things are perfectly normal. That is part of why Merlin trained more than three apprentices, so that we could have someone to relate to." For a moment, her face grew sad. "Horvath was actually a good friend, Dave. He wasn't always so evil. Never forsake the friends that you have, for you never know when they might leave you. But, the most important thing that I learned from Merlin is that it is what's inside a person that counts. Dave, love is the most powerful force in the world, more than any good or evil can do. You, I think, have a great capacity to love. You are able to understand that magic doesn't define all of who you are. And that is what makes a great sorcerer, and why I'm confidant that you will be one someday."

Dave wasn't sure what to say to this. He felt a little embarrassed by the praise, but he thought about it and he somehow knew that it made sense. "Is that why you and Balthazar had been able to stay together all these centuries?"

"Yes, we draw strength from our love, and our love has given us greater strength than any magic we could have drawn on just on our own."

"It couldn't have been easy."

"It hasn't been, sometimes, believe me. I've got some horror stories I could tell you, but it's ultimately been worth it."

"I wish that Balthazar could tell me these things."

"Well, ask him, Dave. Balthazar is not as scary as he seems. Plus, he is naturally withdrawn. I fear that he finds it difficult to really open up to people. Actually, I have seen him take more of an interest in you than he has for anyone else besides me for many years. I think it's something that you two have in common."

"I'm glad to hear that we could relate to each other on some level."

"Oh, I could say that you have quite a lot in common besides that. You're both very intelligent, stubborn, and-"Suddenly, Veronica stopped, mid-sentence and mid-stride. Her face grew troubled, agitated. Her eyes closed, and Dave felt the magic gathering around her.

"Veronica, what's the matter?" asked Dave, becoming worried.

Veronica's eyes snapped open, and she said, "Balthazar, he's in trouble. Horvath and Drake, they've ambushed him."

When he heard this, Dave no longer felt a thrill of fear, but a rush of new-found confidence. Sometimes, it took only a few words to change an outlook. Now, Dave, though he knew that he had made mistakes, also knew that that wouldn't make him a failure. He was ready. He put the dragon ring on his finger and said, "Then, let's go and help him."

* * *

Balthazar was cursing himself right now. He, Master of the 777th Degree had been outwitted by a two-bit entertainer with the stupidest hair that that he had ever seen. But still he had been fooled just long enough to get knocked across the lab by a plasma bolt, and bound hand and foot by the steel bars of the reactor.

He hated seeing that smug smirk appear on Drake's face, hated himself even more because he knew he deserved no less. It was no surprise, however, that Drake wasn't the brains behind the operation. A moment later, Horvath appeared. "Surprisingly well cone," He said, in a rare moment of praise for someone besides herself. "Now find the Grimhold."

As Drake began searching the Lab, Horvath turned a condescending smile on Balthazar.  
"You seem to have a soft spot for that boy." He taunted, "Has Balthazar found a new friend?" The unspoken mockery that lay underneath that statement was clear: Morganians viewed love as a weakness. Balthazar had to admit when he had first seen Drake disguised as Dave, he had been fooled. He had been so relieved that Dave had come back, and that he had the chance to do a few things right for a change.

Drake interrupted the tense moment. "I don't see the Grimhold." He said, after searching the lab for all of a minute.

"That's because your using your eyes." Said Horvath, as if it should have been obvious. "Clever, Balthazar, always up to his old tricks."

Using the bright blue jewel on the top of his cane, he conjured clouding trails of black smoke, which traveled around the lab, seeking to reveal what had purposefully been hidden. And it came across the Grimhold, the smoke attracted to the darkness within. The Grimhold came into view as the spells of invisibility were broken.

"Found it." said Drake, stating the obvious. He moved to pick it up, but Horvath must not have thought him worthy to hold the relic, as he called the doll to his own hand.

"It's lighter than I remember." He said, as he approached Balthazar once more.

Balthazar stared at his one time friend, a desperate sadness in his eyes. "We once fought together, Maxim." Over the centuries, he and Veronica had tried to turn Horvath away from his dark path. Whatever they may have said or done to indicate the contrary, they had never been able to fully believe that he was totally lost forever.

But it was always a task that proved to be in vain. As long as Horvath remembered the wrongs which he believed to have been wrought against him, he would never be able to forgive. "A lot's happened since those days." Growled Horvath, dark eyes flaming.

"This isn't about that." said Balthazar, pained that Horvath was once more including Veronica in the blame.

"Oh yes, it is, Balthazar. It's always been about that. Veronica chose you, instead of me." Horvath's face faltered, and for a moment, the pain beneath his anger could be seen. "The great Balthazar Blake, my best friend." Balthazar would never be able to understand the pain he had felt when Veronica had found greater solace in Balthazar's arms than his own.

Seeing them growing and living together throughout the centuries had been worse. Maybe it would have been better if Veronica had died or been trapped in the Grimhold. At least then he would have had some satisfaction in knowing that Balthazar would never be able to have her either.

But perhaps he could finally have his revenge. He had the Grimhold now, and if things went according to plan, he would soon be able to release Morgana, and than he would take Veronica for himself. He would make her love him, out of gratitude that he was saving her from the coming apocalypse of humanity. Then, he would finally kill Balthazar, when he had all that should have been his.

"Well, I'm going to let you watch me release Morgana, and watch your world crumble into nothing."

Balthazar was not an easy woman to provoke. But, when his temper was raised, he was one of the most dangerous men to encounter. Horvath's boasting held direct threats, though unspoken to Veronica and Dave, the two people that he treasured the most. It had only taken a direct threat to Dave like the one which Horvath had just uttered to make him truly realize that he would be able to forgive himself if anything happened to Dave. The bond between Master and Apprentice had become stronger than he had thought. He now saw Dave as his own, something that he would do anything to protect.

He had been freeing the metal bands around his wrists and ankles, but Horvath's words served as the catalyst which enabled to break free. Summoning a plasma bolt, he threw it at Horvath, which knocked the Morganian sorcerer back several feet.

Balthazar broke free from the restraints, and come forward. Drake tried to stop him with a whirlwind. Balthazar absorbed the spell and sent it back at him, with ten times as much force. However, that few moments of defeating one sorcerer, was enough to give Horvath the opening that he needed. Opening his coat, he sent four knives hurtling in Balthazar's direction. Balthazar was unable to defend himself in time. But at the very last moment, the knives were stopped by an invisible force.

All eyes turned upward to the catwalk, and saw Dave, the real Dave this time, using his dragon ring to stop the knives from hurting Balthazar. Veronica was behind him, ready to offer a helping hand, but it was quite clear that Dave had this fully under control.

Balthazar couldn't hide his relief when the knives dropped, either because he had avoided death or because Dave had come back. It was probably both. Already he could see a change in Dave's stance and expression. He didn't know what had happened, but it was clear that something had occurred which had allowed Dave to finally come into his own.

Horvath and Drake, realizing that they were outnumbered, decided to make a run for it. Both Veronica and Dave hurried over to Balthazar. "Nice catch." He said, to his apprentice.

"Yeah, well, I figured I owed you one." said Dave with a slight grin.

"They took the Grimhold." Said Balthazar.

Dave nodded, his eyes alight with determination. He didn't waste any time fretting or planning, he just saw what needed to be done and had the will to do it. "Then let's get it back."

* * *

Please read and review.

Next chapter: The standard staple of the adventrue genre, the car chase, gets a shot of adneraline when magic is added to the mix. But the pursuit ends with trouble, when one Merlinean is taken captive by another.


	23. Pursuit

Pursuit:

It didn't take long for the three sorcerers to get to the Phantom and rev it up to full speed. To Dave's surprise, Tank the Bulldog had somehow managed to follow them unawares, scrambling into the front seat with Dave at the last possible moment. Since they didn't have time to kick him out safely, the canine was more or less along for the ride.

A loud squeal of tires reached their ears, and a moment later, a Mercedes GL 500, roared out of a nearby alleyway and began careening down the street. "Here's hoping that all your complaints about my crazy driving don't get us all killed, Firefly." Said Balthazar.

"I take it all back."

"Hold on Tank." Said Dave, as Balthazar gunned the engine of the Phantom and roared off in hot pursuit of Horvath.

It was just like a car chase scene in the movies, though Dave had to admit that this was definitely scarier. The Phantom and SUV weaved in and out of traffic, sometimes missing other cars by mere inches. Dave had to hold on tight to avoid getting thrown the windshield. He didn't want to contemplate what his odds of survival would have been if he hadn't been wearing his seatbelt.

Suddenly, the SUV veered sharply to the left. A truck drove in between the two cars, temporarily hiding the SUV form the three Merlineans. As the truck rolled away, Balthazar, Dave and Veronica were greeted by the sight of a sea of taxis, all of them identical to the next, with no sign of Horvath's vehicle anywhere.

"Wait, what-" said Dave, in confusion.

"Cleaver, Horvath." Muttered Balthazar, "He's in here somewhere."

"Wait, you saying that he has the power to turn his care into a taxi?" Dave said, in disbelief.

"Well, it is the perfect disguise." said Veronica, "There are, after all, a million taxis on the roads of New York at any one time."

"I'm not sure a million is exactly accurate." Said Balthazar.

"All right, it was a rough estimate."

"Lock onto the Grimhold." Balthazar told Dave, "Remember it moves with the ring."

"Right, right." said Dave, as he focused his energy and the ring on his finger began to glow.

Meanwhile in the disguised taxi, Drake and Horvath thought that they had made their escape. But that lasted only until the Grimhold suddenly popped up into thin air behind them and bonked Drake none too gently on the back of the head. This caused Drake to slam into the wheel, and the taxi swerved into oncoming traffic.

Alerted by the slight chaos in the orderly lines of yellow that this action produced, Balthazar punched on the gas and went after the taxi, which was now clearly in flight. Of course, Horvath was not one to so easily give up. Even as the Phantom came closer and closer, he decided it was time to call in the big guns. His colleague had an inordinate amount of interest in these machines of transportation, and Horvath had heard endless recitations over which model car was the fastest. At the time, Horvath had only thought it so much boastful and pointless chatter. Now, he believed that there had at least been one useful thing which Drake had provided him with after all.

He put his can on the car's roof. The surface of the car and its interior began to shift and melt away. The taxi vanished, replaced by a sleek and fast black Ferrari F 30. Drake only needed a moment to recognize the make of the car, and a crazily, ecstatic smile grew on his face. "Oh, nice one!" he cried. This as why he had become a Morganian. The villain always got the better car.

The Ferrari zoomed away from the Phantom, leaving the car in the dust. The Phantom was certainly a fast and powerful car. There was a reason why Balthazar had developed an interest in a car that had an engine called a Merlin. However, not even it could outrun a Ferrari. But, Horvath was not the only one who could utilize the power of transformation. Balthazar put his hand on the car roof and the pulsations which had gone through Drake and Horvath's car began to work on their own vehicle. In just a few seconds, the Phantom had become a silver Mercedes McLaren, more than a match for the Ferrari, in speed and maneuverability.

"Whoa." Said Dave, who was totally shocked by the transformation.

"Hang on." Said Balthazar, shifting gears and gunning the Mercedes into top speed. "Veronica, I'm going to need you to spot for me."

"Of course." Veronica closed her eyes, falling into a trance.

"What's she doing?" asked Dave, seeing and feeling the currents of magic rippling and connecting between the two of them.

"Veronica's scrying a few seconds into the future and relaying Drake's next move to me via telepathy. I can't keep track of him and drive safe at this speed at the same time. That guy may have a terrible sense of style, but he's a first-rate driver. I need all the help I can get."

Despite the fact that this was freaky and very dangerous, Dave actually thought that was kind of cool. He sensed that the spell Veronica was doing wasn't easy, and Balthazar, in trying to drive down a pair of Morganian sorcerers wasn't exactly relaxing either. Both of them were dead set and determined, and yet so totally in tune with each other, it was fascinating for him to watch.

The pursuit continued through the crowded streets of New York, the two cars weaving in and out of traffic at break-neck speeds. The Ferrari suddenly made a sharp turn to the left, disappearing into a tunnel. The Mercedes followed, only to run into a cloud of think black smoke, courtesy of Horvath. The smoke was so thick that visibility was reduced to near zero. All Balthazar had to go on were his own instincts and Veronica's split-second warnings. Even so, he barely was able to avoid the oncoming traffic. Several cars came within a few inches of smashing into them.

They finally managed to emerge into the open air, and with the smoke clearing, Balthazar had a clear shot at the Ferrari. He glanced over at Dave, whose eyes were shut tight, and he had a death grip on Tank. "Dave, you can open your eyes now, and stop strangling Tank."

Dave opened his eyes and looked around. "We're alive?"

"Don't sound so surprised, Dave. We're alive for the moment, but Horvath is not one for giving up."

"So we still might be in trouble?"

"In all probability we are."

"Lovely."

Horvath indeed had a few more tricks up his sleeve. As the Mercedes began to gain on them, he noticed that some workers were unloading a large mirror from a truck up ahead. He smiled and sent a blast of power at the window's reflective surface. "Time for a little revenge." He said, with no small amount of satisfaction.

As the Mercedes roared up beside them, Drake turned the wheel sharply to the left, ramming into them and sending them careening into the mirror.

The sudden movement broke Veronica out of her trance. Not that it would have mattered much anyways, her instructions to Balthazar would now only serve to do the opposite of what she had intended and might very well kill them all.

Dave immediately noticed that something was very wrong. "What is this?" He was referring to the fact that every sign around them was showing up backwards, and when Balthazar tried to go left, he went right.

"Yes, we drove through a mirror." Mused Balthazar, as if this sort of thing happened every day. "Trapped in a reverse world. No, we won't die." He said, cutting off Dave's question before he could even ask it. "As long as we get out of here soon. By driving through our own reflection." Again, answering Dave's unspoken question.

"This happen often?" Dave asked Veronica.

"Once or twice." Was all Veronica's response.

Dave decided that he didn't want to know any more of that story at the particular moment. He turned his attention to the building which they were driving past and saw their chance. "Balthazar, there."

They were driving past a building covered with windows. It was the only hope that they had of getting out anytime soon.

"This is it." Balthazar swerved, but in the right way 'round world, Horvath saw their blurry outline, and began sending blast after blast of magic into the windows, shattering the glass mere seconds ahead of the Mercedes. Racing against time, Balthazar saw a large piece of glass hanging precariously from the second floor. Dave saw what Balthazar was planning. "Oh, no, you cannot be thinking…"

"Hang on." Said Balthazar.

The Mercedes turned sharply; the glass broke and plunged to Earth. At the last possible moment, the glass and Mercedes came together perfectly. The Mercedes zoomed through its reflection, back into the real world.

The pursuit was in its final phase now, they could all feel it. Either one needed to only make one mistake. And it turned out, that Horvath would carry the day. The Ferrari moved into a sharp turn, and as the Mercedes swerved to follow them, they were greeted with that one last trick. Horvath had turned to the Ferrari into a huge trash truck, and it was posed to mash the Mercedes into scrap metal.

And as Horvath and Balthazar and Veronica faced each other, they couldn't help the slight smirk which came across their faces. "Hello, Balthazar, Veronica." There was nothing like having a worthy opponent to make the pursuit more interesting. However, respect for an opponent could only go so far, especially when one was trying to kill the other.

The trash truck surged forward. Balthazar hit the accelerator and backed up the Mercedes as fast as he was able. Which wasn't nearly fast enough; the trash truck was gaining fast. Dave, struck with a sudden idea, leaned forward eagerly, the ring atop his finger beginning to glow. "Dave, don't." warned Balthazar.

"Let me try it."

Whether or not, Balthazar could have said anything else, it was too late. The enchantment was already underway. And the next moment, all their advantage of speed stopped abruptly. Veronica was thrown forward and back so hard that she nearly got whiplash. The car they were in lurched and chugged, emitting several heavy groans, and belching clouds of black smoke. Balthazar looked at Dave. "'73 Pinto, this was your idea?" He inquired, sarcastically, in reference to the rather ugly lime-green junk heap that Dave had managed to conjure.

"No," said Dave, defensively, "My idea was to turn _their_ car into a beater."

They got no more chance to argue, because the trash truck came barreling towards them, and smashed into the Pinto head-on. The Pinto skidded backwards several feet, coming to a bone-jarring halt by another car parked along the sidewalk.

The Pinto was trapped and Horvath knew it. The trash-truck came towards them, its masher upraised. "Finish it!" ordered Horvath.

"Right!" Drake responded gleefully.

The trash truck proceeded to crush the Pinto. Two things actually saved their lives. Dave's blunder had actually proven to be to their advantage. The Pinto may not have been much on looks, but it was sturdy. Though crushed, the main part of the structure remained more or less in tact. The other was surprisingly from Drake himself. Yes, he was a Morganian, and yes he was enjoying wreaking havoc and mischief. But, there was still a slight spark of conscience left within him, one that perhaps he himself wasn't aware of. He still knew where the line was that he couldn't cross. He stopped a split second before delivering the final crushing blow. Both he and Horvath could sense that life was still in the Pinto, but when Horvath looked questioningly at Drake, the magician said, as if it should been obvious. "We've got 'em stopped. There's no need to kill them."

With those words, Drake unwittingly revealed to Horvath that his usefulness had run its course. Their partnership was at an end.

Inside the Pinto, Balthazar, Dave and Veronica sensed that the crushing had stopped. "I think he's stopped." Said Dave, who was a little surprised that a Morganian hadn't taken the chance to kill them.

Truthfully, Balthazar and Veronica were wondering the same thing. However, there were bigger things to deal with at the moment. All three of them managed to scramble out of the car and push their way through the crowd that was quickly forming around the crash site.

"Looks like they've split up." Said Veronica, "You and Dave go after Horvath, I'll try and track down Drake."

Splitting up, Veronica moved to find Drake, which was actually a bit more challenging than she had expected from the entertainer. Nevertheless, she soon managed to catch up with him, walking rapidly down the sidewalk. She waited until he reached an area of sparse crowds, and she called, "Drake Stone." Drake stopped and turned around to look at her. Veronica stared hard at him. She had originally meant to incapacitate him, but now, as she looked at him, she was struck by something else. "Why did you kill us?"

Drake looked surprised by the question. "What?"

"Before in the trash truck, you could have easily killed us, but you made a deliberate choice not too."

"How did you-"

"Like I told you before, you're mind is easy to read, at least the surface emotions are. Why did you not kill us? The opportunity would have been perfect."

Drake shifted uncomfortably. "I… I didn't see the point."

"Didn't see the point? You had three enemies in your grasp. It would have been so easy to eliminate us forever."

"Look, if you're going to try a stereotypical conversation of me, forget it. I know who I am."

"But do you know what you are? Are you even a Morganian?"

"What do you mean? Of course I'm a Morganian.'

"On the outside, but I've been watching you over the past few days. And none of your actions remind me of any Morganian I have ever met."

Drake hesitated, eyes moving from side to side uncertainly. Despite himself, Veronica sensed his sudden uncertainty, but also, a strange sense of guilt. But before she could discover what that source of guilt was, she suddenly heard a voice behind her. "Well, isn't this a familiar scene, the noble Merlinean trying to turn a fallen Morganian."

Veronica whirled around, only to see that Horvath was stepping out of a darkened alleyway. "Veronica, when will you ever learn? Compassion and mercy, they are nothing but a distraction."

Veronica immediately understood what had happened. Horvath had subsumed his aura into Drake's, essentially using him as a temporary blind in order to mask his presence from Veronica and catch her unawares. Before she could collect herself, Horvath threw a time displacement spell at her, rooting her to the spot and causing her to be defenseless.

Horvath cam towards her, the Grimhold cradled in one hand, the other holding his cane. "You cannot win, Veronica. Surely you must be able to see that. Your pathetic Prime Merlinean will never be able to defeat Morgana. I have the Grimhold now, and once I release her, Morgana will destroy everything. A new order will rise from chaos. I'm offering you a chance that Balthazar cannot. I can give you protection. That is a chance you will not get from anyone else."

Veronica had been fighting against the restraints of the time displacement spell, and no sooner had Horvath's offer of so-called protection been spoken, than she broke through and attacked him. He was at to close range for her to effectively use magic, so physical force was all that she had at her disposal.

Veronica had never been a damsel in distress. She had actually been an accomplished fighter, Merlin insisting that she learn the art of swordplay and defense. However, though she had skill in hand to hand combat, Horvath had always been the best fighter of Merlin's three apprentices, which was why he had put his jewel into his sword, and now into his cane. And, he used that to his advantage.

There was a violent struggle between the two of them, during which Veronica managed to get in a few good strokes, but ultimately it was Horvath who came out on top. He was overcome by sheer frustration. Here he was offering Veronica the only chance of life that she would get from the coming disaster. And she was rejecting him, again.

"Why must you be so stubborn, Veronica?" He growled in her ear, as she struggled against his grip. "Why must you never see sense? I'm trying to save your life, and this is the thanks that I get?"

With so many centuries of that rejection, he was blind from his anger. Once he had Veronica in his grasp, all he wanted was to make her see sense. Being a Morganian, there was only one way that he knew to do that: with pain.

He lifted his cane, and brought it down across Veronica's body. He struck her again and again, unmindful of the pain that he was inflicting. Even when he was doing such a thing, all he could think of was all the ways in which Veronica was to blame. "You should be grateful that I still have the patience to offer it to you. But you will accept it, Veronica. No matter what it takes. I will not see you die because of your own foolishness."

Drake had stood by all this time, watching with mute horror the scene before him. He was frozen to the spot, numbly watching Horvath beat Veronica with his cane. It was really the first time that he had seen the sheer brutality of the Morganians up close. He knew all about the back story between these two. He knew that Horvath had turned away from Merlin partly because of his spurned love for Veronica, and that it was said he loved her still. But, how could he love her, and be so willing to hurt her?

Drake knew the painful answer to that. Because he had seen it play out in his childhood. Before his master had come, before he had begun his training, he had witnessed his father beating his mother nearly every night. His mother would always hide him in the closet so that his father wouldn't be able to find him, but he had seen it more times than he cared to remember. That was why had become a sorcerer, so that he wouldn't feel so powerless. For being powerless was something he did not like.

And as he watched Horvath trying to beat Veronica into submission, something inside him said that he couldn't stand by again. "Hey, hey, stop it." He said, "She's had enough, can't you tell? What good will she be if you kill her?"

It was as if Drake's words broke through the storm of Horvath's rage. He stopped beating Veronica, but he turned a look of such cold rage upon Drake, that he instantly became quiet. "This is no concern of yours." He growled coldly, "This has been going on far longer than you could possibly realize, and you have no right to interfere." He glanced down at Veronica, who had taken advantage of the last bit of strength she had to sink into unconsciousness. "However, she is, as you say, still of use to me. When Balthazar realizes I have her, he will not think to attack immediately. He'll be afraid that I will hurt her." He bent down, and brushed Veronica's hair from her bloodied face. "As if I could ever do anything to hurt her."

Drake couldn't believe what he had just heard. "You just beat her until she blacked out. How is that not hurting her?"

Once again, Horvath turned a cold, contemptuous glare in his direction. "Sometimes, the only way anyone can be convinced of their own good is with pain. A _true_ Morganian would understand that. As it is, it matters little. Her injuries are easily treatable, and in time, she will come to see things my way."

He took Veronica's ring from her finger, and as he was doing so, he saw her necklace. His lip curled and he jerked the necklace from around her neck. All those centuries she had worn it to symbolize her connection with Balthazar. In all their time battling each other, he had never seen her without it. In a fit of rage, he flung the necklace on the ground and smashed it into pieces with his cane. A meaningless gesture ultimately perhaps, but it still made him feel somewhat better.

After that, he picked her up, and swept past Drake. "Come on, we need to get out of here before we are found."

Drake had no more fight in him. Horvath had effectively doused it. However, he still couldn't hide a slight flicker of disgust when he saw Horvath carrying Veronica as he followed him to the car.

* * *

Balthazar pushed his way through the crowd of people, doing his best to keep Horvath in sight. But all that was forgotten for a split second, when he saw Veronica approaching through the crowd. He stopped and stared in complete shock. Veronica moved past him, and though she briefly made eye contact wit him, there was no sign of recognition in her face. A feeling of terror welled within him. He began to have the feeling that something was very wrong, but he couldn't say what. Desperately, he reached out for her. "Veronica, what-"

But when the woman turned back to him, he saw that he was speaking to a stranger, "Hey." She said, looking at the bizarre man who was addressing her with a mixture of surprise and suspicion.

Balthazar blinked for several seconds, before managing to stammer. "Sorry, I thought that you were someone else."

The woman threw Balthazar an arch look before moving quickly away. Balthazar was left standing on his own, numb with a terrible feeling of foreboding. It was in this state that Dave finally managed to catch up with him, holding a very confused Tank in his arms. "Hey, Balthazar, what's going on?" He looked at Balthazar and felt a shiver run down his spine when he saw the expression on his teacher's face. "Balthazar, are you all right? You look sick."

Balthazar blinked as if having been broken out of a trance. He suddenly turned and frantically scanned the crowds milling around the sidewalk. "Horvath, where is he?"

Dave was confused. "I don't know. I can't sense his aura anymore. It's weird. It's like he disappeared into thin air, without a trace."

Balthazar closed his eyes, trying to sense any remnants of Horvath's trail. What he sensed troubled him greatly. There was not a trace of a living aura, but a mere echo of power. Horvath had used a doppelganger of himself to lay a false trail. And if he had done that…

He then realized with a start that he couldn't sense Veronica. He searched frantically for her, but the bond in their magic had been brutally severed, and her very life force had been masked. That would not be an easy thing to do; only a sorcerer as powerful as her would have been able to do such a thing. Or a sorcerer as powerful as Horvath.

Cold terror stabbed through him. "Veronica, Horvath has Veronica."

"What? How do you know?

But Balthazar had no time to answer. He hurried away, pushing people blindly aside, as he sought for any sign of Veronica. The only thing he found was Veronica's ruined necklace by an abandoned alleyway some ways down the street.

Balthazar saw the echoes of what had happened, that Horvath had taken the woman he loved captive. Horvath had the Grimhold. He had the upper hand. Balthazar, with all his power had been able to do nothing to reverse the situation. In that moment, all the strength seemed to drain from him. He fell to his knees, his shoulders sagging, the feeling of helplessness washing over him.

Dave caught up with him. He looked around, and though his scrying was not as advanced as Balthazar's, he at least saw enough to make him realize what had happened. And with that last piece of information, everything fell into place. It all made sense now; Horvath's hatred of Balthazar and Veronica, and yet a strange sort of respect, Balthazar's intense protection of Veronica, the connection that existed between them. It had all started with the most basic human emotion of all.

"It was all about love, wasn't it?" He asked Balthazar, "You both fell in love with Veronica, and she choose you."

Balthazar looked at Dave, and the pain in his eyes was deeper than Dave could fathom. "That's only half of the story. It's time that you finally knew all of it."

* * *

Please read and review.

Next chapter: The full story of Balthazar and Veronica's journey through time and space is revealed. It turns out that they have sacrificed far more than might be thought. And the revelation of all that they have gone through convinves Dave that is ready to finally follow his destiny.


	24. The Never Ending Road

Hope that everyone had a great Thanksgiving. Consider this my little gift to all of you.

The Never Ending Road:  
Back at the lab, Balthazar finally told Dave the entire story. He had given him the essential facts before, but that hadn't really gotten to the heart of what defined him as a person. Veronica had been right. Dave, as his apprentice, deserved to know what had kept him going all these years. Dave needed to know what he fought for, so he could find the same thing for himself.

Dave had never seen Balthazar so somber before. As the two of them sat on the steps in the lab, with the open Incantus between them, the sadness he saw on Balthazar's face was too deep for words.

"For centuries, Veronica, Horvath and I were all that stood between Morgana and Man's destruction. Our magic and our friendship were what Veronica and I depended on. Merlin always said that he felt like there was a bond between us, since he had never seen two people work in such perfect tandem with ach other. It was what made both of us realize that magic was not the only power in the world, not was it the strongest. There was something else that could overcome even the greatest of good or evil."

Dave looked at Balthazar, "You fell for her, didn't you?'

Balthazar nodded, remembering that far away time. "I fell." If, by fell, Dave meant he had become head over heels, madly, deeply in love, than yes, that would be a good description. "Like you, all Veronica wanted was to be normal; normal things, normal life. She wanted a family more than anything, something she could share with me that was not bound by magic. But, as long as Morgana was alive, that could never be an option. I fell, and so did Horvath. That's why Horvath betrayed us, love overcoming the good of Merlin."

Dave took a moment to reflect n this. "After Merlin died, how did you decide to remain together? Why did you get married?"

"In the end, we both knew that it was the only thing that would keep us sane after so many years. But, there comes a time, Dave, when it's apparent that magic can only go so far in sustaining you. You need something else beyond that. For Veronica and I, it was each other. We both knew that we had a long journey ahead of us. Trying to face it alone would have been too difficult for us." He took out the necklace which he had managed to reconstruct with magic. "I gave this to her after everything that happened that night, when everything we had ever known was gone, and all I had was her. She's never taken it off. I've sometimes wondered how she could have put up with someone like me for so long. But somehow, it's always worked out. Except, for the one thing that we both always wanted."

Dave was about to ask what he meant, until his attention was drawn by the scenes in the Incantus. It showed the scenes of Balthazar and Veronica's life over the centuries. The Incantus, infused as it was with magic, was almost a living thing. It always seemed to sense what was needed to be seen by its reader.

There were scenes of various points in history, and Dave was taken aback by what he saw. Balthazar and Veronica had not had an easy time. There were various times when they had been forcibly torn apart because of circumstances beyond their control, whether it was from the Crusades, war, the Inquisition or other disasters, natural or manmade. What amazed him the most that they had never given up despite everything. They had seen the worst that the world could do; they should have had every right to hate humanity, to turn away from them. And yet, they had kept on, perhaps for no other reason than that there was a little hope that the world could be better.

"I never thought about how much you guys might have had to sacrifice." He said, as he looked over the story. "Especially how many times you were separated. That must have been torture."

"It was torture, made all the worse because we could never predict when it would come, or how long the separation might be. Those ten years I spent in the urn weren't the first, and that was actually one of the shorter stints. 1300 years on this journey, all told we've spent roughly half of it apart, sometimes never knowing if the other was alive, save an occasional echo, which was always uncertain, and only left us hungry for more."

Dave didn't know what to say to this. He drew his eyes back to the pages of the Incantus, and there he saw something very interesting. On the page was a picture of Veronica and one of Balthazar. Branching down from those images were the faces of three children. Dave could see the distinct similarities in each of their faces, features that all related back to Veronica and Balthazar. With some surprise, he realized that he was looking at a family tree.

He looked at Balthazar, "I didn't know you had kids."

"I don't." The agony in those two words was all the explanation that Dave needed. The sadness in Balthazar's face was equal in intensity to that which Dave had seen after his incident with the mops. However, there was no anger in his expression now, merely sadness.

Dave looked down. He felt a little awkward, realizing that he had just inadvertently stumbled across something that was obviously very private. However, he remembered Veronica telling him that she knew Balthazar trusted him. And if he only got up the courage to ask, Balthazar would be willing to let him see the real man underneath the mask that he so often presented to the world. "What happened to them?"

Balthazar hesitated only a second, before he decided that Dave not only had a right to know, he wanted him to know. "Veronica always wanted children, but she knew the risk that a life such as ours would present to any children we had. We both decided that we didn't have the right to subject any child to that. However, accidents happen. There are charms that can be worn to prevent pregnancy. But, they don't last anymore than a year, and it only takes forgetting to wear it once for conception to take place. That's what happened with our children."

"So, how did they die?"

"The first two, they got sick. Elizabeth was the first, in 1301, I think. She didn't last more than a year before she grew ill and died. The same happened with James 50 years later. They weren't strong enough to fight against the plagues which were ravaging Europe at the time."

"But, your sorcerers; didn't you have any power to heal them?"

"Perhaps, if we knew more. But, that what we can do with magic is always limited by science. The medical science of that time was primitive, and we didn't know what was causing the plagues, so we really couldn't treat it. And, besides that, sometimes with all our power, sorcerers can't prevent death. I suppose that it's supposed to help us remember that we're not all powerful. But I have to admit, I sometimes wished that wasn't true, just so I could have saved them."

"And what happened to the third child?"

"John," said Balthazar, and the name was said with a degree of pain that hadn't been in the names of the other children. "His story is almost worse than the others. We couldn't prevent the deaths of James of Elizabeth. We did try, but it was ultimately nature that took them away from us, not the work of any human hand. But it was a Morganian that took John from us."

Here Balthazar paused, and it was evident that this story was difficult for him to tell. Dave wondered, indeed, if he had even told it to anyone. "You're familiar, I assume, with the Salem Witch Trials?"

"Isn't everyone?"

"With the basic story perhaps, but the truth underneath is far uglier. That area of Massachutuess was under dispute by the Morganians and Merlineans. The conflict was long and bitter, and finally the Morganians took advantage of the one thing that they knew would force the Merlineans to retreat. They entangled innocents into the conflict."

"So, all the accusations that were made…"

"They were a weapon used by the Morganians to cause discord, chaos and death. The people of Salem were easily frightened and they believed the hearsay that the Morganian agents spread. They believed that there were witches in their midst. No actual sorcerer was actually accused, as we're too good at covering our tracks. But, those who were condemned were innocent people. We could do nothing without exposing ourselves, and if we had done so, the townspeople would have turned against us, bringing more into the line of fire. So, we were forced to withdraw and leave the Morganians to take over the city."

"How do you and Veronica fit into all of this?"

"Veronica and I had been in the area of Salem for almost twenty years. It was our base of operations. When the conflict broke out between the Morganians and the Merlineans, it was difficult to extract ourselves. But, there wasn't any direct danger for the first ten years of John's life. We were actually really hopeful for John. He was so strong, so full of life. We even did wonder if he might be meant to be the Prime Merlinean at one point.

"When it became apparent that the Merlineans were retreating from Salem, I told Veronica to leave with John. I had to stay behind to face the most dangerous Morganian in the area at the time, Abigail Williams."

Dave stared at Balthazar. "That witch girl on the front of the Grimhold?"

"Don't let the appearance of her age fool you, Dave. She may have been only fifteen at the time of the witch trials, but she was eaten by darkness from a young age. She had tried to steal the Grimhold from me, and I had to remain behind to make sure that she didn't cause anymore trouble. But what I thought were clues leading to her hiding place, were nothing more than a trap. Abigail was really heading for Veronica. She knew that the best way to go after me was to go after my family.

"I didn't get there in time. Veronica told me that Abigail caught her unprepared. She threatened John's life, unless Veronica surrendered the Grimhold. She did, but then Abigail killed John in front of her eyes. When that happened, Veronica snapped. She tried to kill Abigail herself, by draining the life from her slowly. She wanted to make Abigail suffer in the same way she was suffered. I barely got there in time to stop her, before she did something she would regret. I knew that if Veronica murdered someone in cold blood like that, even someone who deserved death, she would never be able to forgive herself."

"So, wait a minute, you're telling me that Veronica actually gave up the Grimhold, which you guys had been protecting for centuries, to the enemy, so that she could save one person's life."

"Logically, I know that it makes no sense, Dave, especially considering the outcome. But, you may never understand it until you love someone so completely that all you can think of is their safety, and you would even sacrifice the world to make sure of that.

"Abigail escaped me after that conflict, with the Grimhold. I managed to track down her down though, and trap her in the Grimhold. But the damage had already been done. For months, Veronica was silent and withdrawn. She barely spoke to me or anyone at all. Then, she disappeared for awhile. She said that she needed sometime alone. I believed her. She came back, but she seemed changed, in a way that I really couldn't describe, until I found out why she had left."

"Why?"

"She left so that I wouldn't interfere with what she was planning on doing." Balthazar tried to find the right words for what he was about to say. "I told you that there are temporary spells which can be used as contraception. But, Veronica wanted something more full-proof. She wanted to be sure that she wouldn't have another child. She cast a spell that essentially shut down her uterus. She can't have children because that part of her is dead."

Dave stared at Balthazar. "She did that to herself?"

"Yes, she was willing to give up what she wanted most so that she could be certain that she would never have to face the pain of losing another child. But, it was not without its consequences. Veronica basically shut down part of what made her a natural woman, a spell that borders dangerously close to Morganian magic, since Morganian magic seeks to twist nature to serve its own turn."

Dave could hardly believe what he was hearing. He remembered the haunted look on Veronica's face when he had said that neither she nor Balthazar understood what it was to live in hell. Now, he saw that Balthazar had been right. Dave really had no idea what that was like. He had never had to face the death of someone close to him, and he could see in Balthazar face that John's death and his powerlessness to prevent it had left a terrible scar. "That couldn't have been easy when you found out."

Balthazar shook his head. "I can never remember being so hurt or angry. I felt that Veronica had turned her back on all of Merlin's teachings, and that she hadn't trusted me enough to give me a say. John's death had hurt me as well, and I had wanted children almost as much as Veronica. I just couldn't understand it. Sometimes I wonder if I do now. The consequences have been far-reaching for both of us and it's been a source of contention between us, even to this day. But the deed was done, and it was a useless venture to try and reverse it."

"_Can_ it be reversed?" asked Dave, after a moment of silence.

"There is a method where it could be, but it requires a great deal of skill. And even then, there's no guarantee that it could work. It's always easier to destroy something then it is to heal it. And as long as Morgana is in limbo and undefeated, Veronica will never hear of it."

"Balthazar, why?" said Dave, "Why did you give up so much to look for me? You were never even sure that you would find me. Why didn't you give up? You couldn't have done it just because of a promise you made to Merlin. No one, not even you or Veronica, could have been that dedicated."

"Dave, if living this long has taught me anything, it's that life is a never-ending road, and ultimately it's not the length of our days, but how we make use of them that really maters. Besides, it was our love that kept us going, even when no other force could." He looked at the necklace, as the whole event which had brought them to this point in the first place cam back to him. "Now, she's in Horvath's clutches, I need to remember that even more, so I'm not tempted to give up hope."

"Do you think Horvath will…?"

"Horvath won't kill Veronica, of that I'm certain. But there are worse things that magic can do to the body and mind of a person, and that's what I'm most afraid of."

Balthazar rose to his feet and walked a little ways off, still clutching the necklace, the only tangible proof of hope that he had. Dave was left to contemplate everything he had heard. What he had heard went beyond his wildest imagination. He suddenly saw what Balthazar was more like him than he had ever thought possible. He was loyal, he cared deeply for those closest to him, but he also knew that he wasn't perfect. But what Dave really saw in Balthazar that reminded him of himself was that Balthazar never gave up. He and Veronica had forged on trying to find him, and they had suffered for it. Yet, they had never given up, and even now, when there seemed to be every reason to lose hope, Balthazar still had hope.

"I'm so sorry, Balthazar." And indeed, that apology was for a number of the things that Dave had said to them, and perhaps, most of all, for underestimating the true strength of character in Balthazar. He was a good man, not for the magic he had, but for the choices he had made. Dave only hoped that he could measure up to even half of what Balthazar had done. And he realized that he could. "Okay, Balthazar, we are going to save Veronica, and destroy Morgana."

Balthazar heard the change in Dave's voice. He turned to regard his apprentice. "What's happened to you?"

Dave looked confused. What was that supposed to mean? All he had done was state what needed to be done. "N-Nothing."

"You're still a bad liar, Dave." Balthazar knew the truth, even if Dave was unaware of it. Dave was ready to accept his destiny, and he believed he could do it. Then, Balthazar said something that surprised Dave, "I am glad that she likes you. No, I am not surprised, only glad. There's nothing like it, is there?"

Dave, knowing what Balthazar meant, nodded his head. Master and apprentice regarded each other, and in that moment, the connection was finally made. At last, they understood each other completely. "Put your old man shoes back on." Said Balthazar, with a bit more of the old gleam in his eyes. "We have a lot of work to do."

* * *

Please read and review.

Next chapter: Veronica awakens only to find that she is a captive. When Horvath gives her a choice, she finds herself running out of time. Still, Merlinean compassion is hard to break, and when she has a chance to warn Drake Stone, she will take it. Question is, will Drake take the chance to make something of himself?


	25. The Captive

The Captive:

When Veronica awoke, she was in a strange bedroom, in a place that she didn't recognize. Judging from the rather garish display of conspicuous consumption that was surrounding her, however, she had a rather good idea of where she was. And if even that had not convinced her, the last memories that she had before she lost consciousness would have been more than enough to convince her. She was in Horvath's clutches. She was a captive.

She began to have a sinking feeling in her stomach. It was actually hard to trap a sorcerer, even if one did take away their ring. Merlineans and Morganians both were trained to be aware of their surroundings at all times, and how to use them to their advantage. But sorcerer against sorcerer it could mean something else. If anyone could keep her trapped, it was Horvath.

Nevertheless, old habits of self preservation die hard. Veronica still checked around the room to see if there was anyway out, but there was no door or window that was not blocked by some kind of magical barrier. Frustrated, all she could do was sit and wait.

She didn't have to wait long it turned out. Horvath must have sensed that she had awoken, because he appeared about fifteen minutes after she had regained consciousness. "Ah, Veronica, I'm glad to see that you're awake. I trust that these rooms are suitable for you. They're not really my style, but my colleague had a rather inflated idea of himself."

Veronica crossed her arms and glared at Horvath. "May I ask if you're going to continue this charade of manners for very long, or are you going to at least do me the courtesy of addressing me in the proper context?"

"Meaning, what?"

"We are not friends, Horvath. We are not even allies. In fact, if my memory serves me correctly, you were the one who beat me into unconsciousness because I wasn't willing to go along with your schemes. That being the case, you are now residing somewhat lower in my opinion than you were even before."

"That was an unfortunate incident; I will admit that I shouldn't have allowed my temper to get the better of me. I'm sorry."

"You'll forgive me if I don't accept the apology, what do you want with me, Horvath? Why have you brought me here?"

"I should think it would be obvious. I'm trying to keep you safe, Veronica. You seem to be continually blind to that."

"I don't want the kind of safety that you offer, Horvath. I think that I have made that very clear."

Horvath sneered angrily. Veronica's continued protestations were becoming quite tiresome. He had important work to do, and as much as he wanted to convince her that this for the best, as much as he wanted her to come willingly over to his side, If he had to use force he would do so. He would not lose Veronica, that he had promised himself long ago. Balthazar couldn't protect her from the Rising. But he would, no matter what the coast. "Veronica, do not try my patience any further. Think carefully on what you are doing, on the upcoming destruction which will soon be visited upon mankind. Do you honestly think that I'm going to stand by and let you suffer that same fate?" He took a step closer to her and said, almost pleadingly, "Veronica, please. Don't sacrifice yourself. Stay with me and everything will be as it should be. I can give you everything that you want, things that Balthazar cannot give you."

It was strange to hear Horvath talk in this manner. For a moment, he seemed almost like the Maxim that Veronica had once known. Then again, perhaps it was not so strange when one remembered that Horvath and Balthazar both loved Veronica, in their own separate ways. But Veronica was not to be moved. "I would rather die in agony than give into you and betray all that I hold dear. You can give me nothing, Horvath, nothing that is lasting."

That was the last straw. Horvath finally lost patience. He had tried to be logical, tried to be reasonable, but Veronica had preserved in her stubbornness. "If I have to use force, Veronica, I will." He spat, his eyes glowing with anger, "You know what I am capable of, what magic can do to a mind, even one as strong as yours. And without your ring, you are as defenseless as any other human."

Veronica was horrified by what she was hearing and the implications of it. 'You're saying that you would bind me to you, forever? You would make me your slave for the rest of our lives? Is that really what you want?"

"As I have said before many times, I do not want to do that. I don't want to force you to do anything, Veronica, and I certainly don't want you as a slave. But I will do it, if that's the choice you force me to make. None of this is on my head, Veronica, you yourself have the choice. You have until two days at sunset to make your choice. During that time, you are free to make of this room and the sitting room beyond. Do not go beyond them, or you will regret it."

He went to the door, and opened it, but before he left, he turned back to her and said, "I would advise you to consider well what choices you have, Veronica. They could very well determine your quality of life for years to come."

With that, he slammed the door, leaving Veronica alone with her thoughts.

* * *

Drake Stone had never once questioned his choice of becoming a Morganian. He had never wanted to bind himself to a life of servitude that the Merlineans did, he was perfectly content looking out for himself. However, ever since he had started working with Horvath, Drake had begun to wonder if he was walking the wisest path. It was ironic that in actually being forced to work with the greatest Morganian of all time, Drake didn't think he was cut out for to be one.

Now having that Merlinean as a captive in his own apartment was bringing all those doubts to the surface, and he found that it was becoming increasingly difficult to ignore them.

He also wasn't sure if beginning to see this whole situation as wrong was a very goof sign. The Morganian logic might have said that a foe defenseless was a foe no more. But, Drake actually wondered if it might not be a more fun fight if all parties were fairly and evenly matched. Because for all that Drake was an egotistical macho who really enjoyed his cult-like adoration, he was a pretty fair person. He also didn't like seeing humans caged like this. It reminded him to much of times in his own life which he would have preferred to forget.

It was all these doubts, warring with everything he had ever thought certain before, which caused him, in the end, to forsake wisdom and stand outside Veronica's door, insanely wondering if there might be anyway to create just enough of a breech in the defenses for her to escape while at the same time not alerting Horvath. It wasn't as simple as it sounded. Horvath was no fool, and he had set up those spells so well that there were hardly any loopholes. Veronica certainly wouldn't be able to get out without her ring, and even with his powers, he couldn't break the magic of a master sorcerer like Horvath.

"Drake Stone, you're a lousy guard."

He had been so wound up in his thoughts, that Veronica's muffled voice in the room beyond came as something of a shock. He stared at the door for a brief second, half wondering if he had imagined the voice.

"Well, are you going to come in, or would you rather look like an idiot who talks to walls?"

No, he had certainly not imagined that voice. "How did you know I was out here? You don't have a ring."

"My hearing is still quite sharp. You weren't exactly being very stealthy as you paced back and forth in front of this door. Now, at the risk of repeating myself, are you going to come in or is there some sort of code you want me to say?"

Drake looked warily over both shoulders, but Horvath was nowhere in sight, or in the range of his senses. He had also said that the only thing which would set off the alarm was if Veronica left the room. Maybe that meant he could sneak in for a few minutes. Carefully, he opened the door, and was not surprised to find Veronica waiting for him on the other side.

"There now, that's a little better, isn't it? Now, that we can both talk face to face, I would like to know what you're doing here. Did you come to gloat?"

"No, I didn't come to gloat. I-" Drake stopped. What had he come here for? He could hardly do anything useful, either to keep Veronica confined, as Horvath had already effectively seen to that or help her to escape, which he kept trying to tell himself was impossible and foolhardy.

That really didn't answer the question. Veronica just staring at him with a gaze that becoming irritatingly knowing.

"Well, I'm waiting for an answer?"

"And you know that I don't have to answer anything that you asked me." snapped Drake, "You're the captive here."

"Am I? I hadn't noticed. But, by the same logic, are you not a captive yourself?"

The turn of phrase caught him by surprise. "What do you mean?"

"Open your eyes, Drake. Horvath is using you. You're a convenient tool to him, nothing more. Once you have been of use to him, he'll kill you. I'm actually thinking that you're usefulness is about to run out. You're actions of the freeway showed that to him."

"How could my actions on the freeway prove that to him?"

"Don't try and act like you don't know, Drake. You let us escape because you didn't have the strength to crush us with that trash truck. Any other Morganian would have done so with thought or question."

Drake hated the fact that he was so easy to read. He liked to think of himself as a man of mystery. Plus, keeping secrets had been one of his few coping mechanisms in life. Now, with someone so easily able to read him, he found himself beginning to feel defenseless, and afraid. What made it worse was that Veronica was right. Drake knew that he hadn't been able to kill the three of them. Given the chance to relive that scene over again, he knew that he wouldn't have been able to do it, even then.

But, that was more than he was willing to show or admit to Veronica. "Look, I don't know what kind of trick you're trying to pull on me, but it's not going to work. I know whose side I'm on, and I'm not looking for a change. Besides, why hasn't Horvath killed me if I'm as useless to him as you say?"

"He still has some use for you, but trust me, your days are numbered. I've seen this before, so many times. Compassion is not something that Horvath is known for."

A chill skated down Drake's spine. Veronica seemed deadly serious; he could see it in her eyes. And he knew that Merlineans were notoriously bad liars. What if she was right?"

"Are you trying to talk me into saving you?"

To his surprise, Veronica shook her head. "No, I'm trying to get you to save yourself. Leave now, Drake, before you find yourself so entangled in the Morganian web that you will be unable to escape. You won't last long here, Drake. You will die."

This was completely unexpected for Drake. He was not used to such compassion. In fact, he had never encountered a gesture even remotely like this before. He was so used to the Morganian philosophy of looking out for oneself first and foremost. That's all he had gotten from his former master, and all he had ever displayed in his own life. "I-I can't leave. This is all I've ever been. I can't change that now."

Veronica looked at him in that same penetrating manner. "Tell me, is that why you're master said when he abandoned you?"

Drake looked shocked. "How did you-"

"A lucky guess. However, you didn't follow his last instruction very well. It seems that you're master didn't want to be found by you, but instead of just giving up, as he might have expected you to do, you managed to use your gifts to make something of yourself. You have never given up, Drake; don't give up on yourself now, not when it's the most important choice that you could ever make."

Drake shook his head, his face hardening. "You don't know anything about my life. You don't know why I made the choices I made."

"No, I don't. But I do know that whatever has made you who are, it's blinding you. I sensed it before in part of you, and even without my ring, I can see it. Some part of you wants to be free, but you are afraid. Your old master must have really banged the idea into your head about the rigidity of good and evil. But that's not the way of the world, Drake. You could see that if only you allow yourself."

Drake was speechless. He didn't know what he was supposed to say. Veronica was tearing down all of his walls; he was completely defenseless before her. And yet, it was not her that he was afraid of. He was afraid of himself, because, deep down, he knew that Veronica was right. He was not a Morganian, not really. Actually working with Horvath was beginning to make him see that he was one of the most pathetic Morganians to ever walk the face of the earth. But, if he was not Morganian, what was he? He was not Merlinean, he was certain of that, nor could he ever hope to be, and he wasn't even certain if he wanted to be one. But where then did he belong? At least as long as he had the title of Morganian, he could pretend he could belong somewhere. He didn't want to be an outcast. He did not want to be alone.

That was why he retreated even now from Veronica, wanting to reject her offer of understanding. To do so, would be to face all of his greatest fears. He didn't think he had the strength to do that. "You almost had me there." He said, trying to put on his mask of smug bravado, but Veronica could tell that it was somewhat forced. "I almost fell for it. But you're wrong, about everything."

Veronica shook her head sadly. "It's your choice, Drake Stone. Choose to delude yourself by all means. It can't stop you. We'll just see how long you last in this world."

Drake was about to attempt a snappy come back, when he was abruptly cut off by Horvath's commanding tome calling his name. "Go ahead, Drake, your master is calling you. We clearly have nothing more to say."

Drake wanted to say something, but for some reason, the words did not come. Besides, Veronica had already turned away, clearly dismissing him. Drake had no choice but to leave the room. However, the doubts in his mind, which had before been whispers, were growing louder and Drake didn't know how long he would be able to ignore them. And as he walked down the hallway to answer Horvath, he had the unsettling feeling that though a captive and seemingly powerless, Veronica was still more powerful than he was, and she had been the victor in that last exchange.

* * *

Please read and review.

Next chapter: The shadows begin to gather, even when Veronica is given a chance to do a final good deed. However, when Horvath presents Veronica with a harsh choice involving the life of Becky.


	26. The Shadows Gather

The Shadows Gather:  
the deadline for Veronica to make her choice was fast approaching. Her options were not very great, admittedly. Either she had to submit willingly to Horvath, of he would force it on her. No, neither of those options was particularly appealing. She was determined that she wouldn't submit to Horvath, but without her ring, she wouldn't be able to resist his magic, especially not at the level he was intending to inflict.

The last few days had been numbingly irritating. Veronica had always hated being caged, and she had taken to pacing back and forth in her room, out of sheer boredom. She had heard nothing over the past twenty-four hours; it was as though she was the only one in the entire apartment. It didn't help her mood at all.

However, it was in the late afternoon on the second day that something occurred which changed her focus from her own situation to that of another person entirely. Veronica finally heard some activity in the room beyond her own. Someone, Horvath she assumed, walked into the room. She then heard the sound of something large heavy being dropped rather unceremoniously on the floor. Curiosity more than prudence had always been something that Veronica struggled with and she moved to the door which separated the bedroom from the sitting room, which was her current prison.

What she saw stunned her. Horvath had indeed decided that his and Drake's partnership was at an end, and he had terminated it as he did all such partners who no longer served his purposes, with deadly consequences. Drake was dead. Horvath had most likely carried him here using levitation. He was now lying on the floor, dumped there like a piece of trash, meant to be forgotten.

"Did you honestly expect to just stay in the other room?" Asked Veronica.

Horvath paused, before turning around. "I must confess, part of me had hoped, but being pressed for time as I am right now, I had to make due. This was the most convenient room to put Drake, and one where no one will think to look for him for a few hours."

"So, you just decided to kill him." Said Veronica, "You never even gave him a chance to fight, did you? I recognize the Parasite Spell, Horvath. I always liked to think of it as a coward's way out of a difficult fight."

Horvath chuckled. "You honestly think that Drake Stone would have been any true challenge for me? I was actually quite merciful with him, considering what an utter failure he was at following Morgana's way. I could have given him a long and painful death, and instead, made it quick and painless. And his death wasn't in vain." He held up his cane, where there was now a glowing skull ring, which Veronica had least seen on Drake's finger. "I need all the extra power I can get before I release Morgana. Every little bit helps."

Veronica was too saddened to be angry. She had seen too many things like this from Horvath before. She was just sorry that Drake had not heeded her warnings and gotten out while he could. He had been on the wrong side, and had become involved in something beyond his abilities to control, or survive. Still, he had deserved a better fate than this.

"Take my advice and do not waste your compassion on that one. Alive or dead, he was worthless." Said Horvath, coldly, "Worry about your own position. You still have fivehours to make your final choice. By the time I return, I expect you to have made the right one. I need to take care of some last minute things, try to stay out of trouble during that time."

Horvath left the room, clearly expecting Veronica to retreat back to the bedroom and brood some more. However, she did not. Horvath may have had the upper hand in many ways in this situation, but he still sometimes dangerously underestimated Veronica, and the power of what her Merlinean powers were capable of.

As soon as Horvath left, Veronica went over to Drake's body and began to examine it thoroughly. Drake's skin was pallid, stretched thinly over his bones like paper. Veronica knew the signs of a Parasite Spell, an old Haitian spell which enabled one sorcerer to steal the energy from another to use for their own purposes. And because of that one fact, Veronica was beginning to wonder. Was that all there was to this situation, or might there perhaps be something under the surface that Horvath might have missed? She had known of Parasite Spell victims who had managed to survive if they got help fast enough. The reason for this was that the Parasite Spell drained _magical_ energy, not the entire life force.

At some level, magic and life were closely interconnected. Magic and life were two things that sorcerers needed. However, sorcerers could still live if their connection to magic had been severed. And depending on the circumstances, they could even regain it.

However, the Parasite Spell had the same effect on the body of a sorcerer as a heart attack: a sudden shock to the system that the body couldn't handle. If those people were not helped in some way to regain their life force, they would die. But it was impossible to truly drain all of a sorcerer's magic; some spark of it, however small, remained. If she could only reignite that spark, Drake might have a chance.

If only Horvath hadn't taken Drake's ring; that made this whole situation more difficult. A sorcerer's own particular ring was their greatest chance of revival, since it was the jewel which was closest connected to them. But, Veronica was not willing to give up hope just yet. Drake had many more rings on his fingers, and she was hoping that he used some of them as backup power supplies for his stage shows. And as she moved her hands over those rings, she was rewarded with a faint hum of magic.

She quickly took off one of Drake's rings and put it on her own finger. Immediately, she felt the old power moving through her, and she felt more at ease. It was a naked feeling for a sorcerer without their magic, and though this magic did not feel exactly like her own, it still felt good. In fact, she noticed that there might have been enough power in one of those rings to enable her to escape. After all, this would probably be her best opportunity, and some might have said that Drake was a lost cause anyway.

Veronica looked at the door, then back at Drake, and knew in the end, that there was no real choice. She was a Merlinean; if she could help one person from a fate they didn't deserve, even if it turned out to be her last, she would do it.

She placed her hand over Drake's heart, and began to slowly feed the magic in the ring into his body. She imagined the life in Drake spreading from the ring to the other parts of his body, flowing through his bloodstream, restarting to his lungs and heart, enabling him to breathe once more. For several long minutes, this was all that she thought of, and for a moment, she feared that she had not been successful. The magic in the ring was almost spent, and she wouldn't be able to try this again.

But then, Drake groaned, and some of the color began to return to his face. His eyes opened, and he looked up into Veronica's face. For a moment, they didn't show any signs of recognition, either of her or the place that he was in. However, gradually, they began to clear. When he at last managed to speak, his voice was weak, hardly above a whisper. "Veronica, what-where…"

"Shh, Drake, don't try and move. You were the victim of a parasite spell. You're lucky to even be alive still. I managed to revive you by using some of the magic stored in one of your rings."

Drake looked a little surprised. "But, you don't have your ring. How could you…?"

"I could still manipulate the energy that was stored there. Your own ring would have been better but I'm afraid Horvath might have taken that for his own use."

"You were right." Said Drake, after a moment's silence. "You were bloody right. Horvath was planning to kill me all along. How could I have been so bloody stupid?"

"Drake, calm down. You'll be all right, as long as Horvath doesn't know you're alive. Listen to me, once Horvath leaves this apartment, leave here and get to the Chrysler Building. Tell them that Veronica Blake sent you. They won't harm you if they know you're my friend."

Drake stared at her for a moment, confusion written plainly on his face. "Why? Why are you so eager to save me? If you used that magic to heal me, you could have easily used it to escape. Why didn't you?"

Veronica smiled a little and said, "I would be lying if I said I wasn't tempted. I am not a saint, Drake. No Merlinean is. But I know that you're better than this. There is something inside you, something about you that you don't want the rest of the world to see. You deserve a chance to let someone else see it."

Drake wasn't sure if Veronica was right or wrong, and he was too exhausted at this point to argue. He closed his eyes, shaking his head. "I don't know. I can't make any sense out of that."

Veronica put a hand on Drake's forehead, using the last bit of power stored in the ring to send him into a deep sleep. "Don't think of it for how. Sleep Drake. Do not awake until the presence of Horvath has left this place."

She put the ring back on Drake's finger. She had saved him; she hoped that she had given him a second chance. But she was beginning to wonder if she herself would live long enough to be able to see it. She found herself with a sinking feeling that this might very well be the last good deed that she would ever be able to do.

* * *

Night fell on the last day of Veronica's choice. Not that it would be that much of a choice to make. She already knew to do. She could not knowingly betray Balthazar; nothing that Horvath could to her would change her mind.

Horvath showed up at her door at the appointed time. He didn't say anything to her, merely motioned for her to follow him. She did so, only because she knew that opposing him at this point would gain her nothing. She followed him in the main living room, and stopped in horror when she saw the corpse which was lying on the floor.

"You remember out little friend Abigail Williams, I take it?" said Horvath, "I took the liberty of releasing her from the Grimhold just this morning."

"I notice that you didn't keep her around for long." spat Veronica, "you simply wanted her power."

"Oh, come now, Veronica, don't stand there and tell me that you are at all sorry to see her go after what she took away from you. I'm almost surprised that you aren't congratulating me."

Veronica had to admit that she couldn't bring herself to feel any sorrow for Abigail's death. At the same time, seeing the young girl sprawled on the floor like that, pale and limp, made her seem no longer quite so evil. She looked almost like a child.

"As it was, thought, she was of use to me besides just her power. She was able to bring me someone who I think you will be quite eager to see."

He flicked his cane at a nearby doorway, and Veronica gasped when she saw Becky emerge, her limbs rigid and her movements puppet-like, clearly being controlled by the magic in Horvath's can. Her eyes were wide and terrified and when she caught sight of Veronica, they showed surprise, as if she couldn't understand what was happening, and asking Veronica for help. But her mouth made no sound. Horvath had charmed her mouth so she couldn't speak.

Once Veronica had taken the time to take all of this in, she said to Horvath, "You didn't have to bring her into this."

"Oh, didn't I?" said Horvath. "It seems to me that I did, especially where you are concerned. You see, I can see quite clearly that you will not be accepting my offer, so, I had to improvise. Here's how this is going to work. You will come with me, willingly; do as I say and you will spare the little Rebecca here any further pain."

Horvath twisted his hand around the cane, and Becky let out a small yelp, and she clutched her side. Horvath repeated the action, and Becky crumpled to the floor, holding her side, a look of pain on her face. "See how this goes, Veronica." Said Horvath, "Are you going to let this poor, innocent bystander suffer anymore because of you? That is certainly not the Merlinean way."

"You are right." said Veronica, "As you would know, if you could remember that path at all."

"Oh, but I do, and that's why I am so capable of exploiting its weaknesses." Horvath threw another blast of pain at Becky. "Isn't it a terrible sight, Veronica? Only one word, that's all it will take to save her or are you willing to live with this girl's blood on your hands for the rest of your life?"

Veronica had never imagined that Horvath stoop to something like this, but she should have expected it. Horvath had brought innocents into the line of fire more than once to influence the choices that she and Balthazar made. What she couldn't understand was how Horvath had found Becky. Perhaps he had managed to steal some of Dave's memories in one of their encounters. Dave's mind was too easy to read sometimes, and no doubt there had been some thoughts of Becky in there.

Horvath planned it well, however. Veronica couldn't do anything that might harm Becky. There was something about the girl which spoke to her, and she simply couldn't allow Becky to suffer that fate. "All right, fine. Stop it, Horvath."

Horvath, who looked like he had been ready to torture Becky further, not turned his face back to her. "Yes?"

"I'll go with you, willingly. But you have to swear that you will not harm or kill Becky."

"Now, Veronica, there is really no need-"

"Swear," insisted Veronica, "Swear by your magic, or I won't obey you. I know you to well, Horvath. I know that just your word isn't good enough. I need to be sure."

Swearing by one's magic was quite literally binding. It was a nearly unbreakable oath, and even Morganians were bound to obey it. Horvath knew this, and he realized that he had a most valuable hostage if Veronica was willing to go to such lengths to preserve her safety. "Very well, I swear by my magic that I won't hurt or kill the girl, so long as you do willingly what I tell you."

"Then tell me what that is, Horvath and let's get this over with."

Horvath released Becky, who fell to the ground, unconscious. "Go to Battery Park, the eastern side with the fountains. Wait for me there."

Veronica glanced at Becky, clearly reluctant to leave when Horvath didn't seem to be letting her go. "Now, Veronica trust me, I swore that I wouldn't harm her or kill her. That doesn't mean I still can't make use of her. But you still have your end of the bargain to keep up. Go, before I rethink my position."

Horvath had backed her into a corner, and the both knew it. She had only one choice. She left the room, each footstep weighing heavily upon her. She fervently hoped that she had made the right choice and that Balthazar would be able to forgive her.

All points, however, were moving quickly to a single placein New York City, where the battle which had been going on for nearly 1300 years, would finally be decided.

* * *

Please read and review.

Next chapter: Balthazar and Dave attempt a penetration into Horvath's stronghold. But things go horribly wrong when Dave is forced to make the ultimate sacrifice to save Becky.


	27. Penetration

An update right before Christmas. Might be another one tomorrow, just as an extra bonus present. Enjoy!

Penetration:  
It had been nearly two days since Veronica had been kidnapped. In that time, Balthazar and Dave had been in more or less constant training, only stopping to rest for short periods. Ordinarily, Dave would have been exhausted. But, he didn't feel tired now. In fact, he hadn't complained once, and he felt as though he was actually doing things right more often then he felt he was doing them wrong. Even Balthazar had to admit that Dave's confidence had skyrocketed. Perhaps it was because they were working on a deadline, and Dave worked well under pressure. Whatever it may have been, Balthazar felt confident that he was ready to face the challenge which lay ahead.

The challenge was not an easy one, and would make everything that Dave had done up until that point seem like child's play. Namely, they had to penetrate Horvath's main base of operations, which was Drake Stone's downtown penthouse apartment. Drake wasn't the one that Balthazar was worried about. He was fairly certain that Dave could easily take Drake now. It was Horvath, as always, who would be the most dangerous challenge. Knowing him as well as he did, there was a good chance that he had something up his sleeve which neither of them would be able to anticipate. They would both have to be cautious.

Balthazar parked the Phantom across the street from the apartment. Dave was in the seat beside him. "You know what we have to do, right?" said Balthazar.

Dave nodded. "Right, in and out, get Veronica and the Grimhold, no heroics or taking on Horvath on my own if I can possibly help it."

"Good, I'm glad that you've been listening. I don't have to tell you how important what happens here could be."

Dave shook his head. "No, you don't. If it all goes wrong here, we die."

Balthazar nodded. His face was serious. "One thing I should warn you about, Dave. If Horvath has done anything at all to Veronica, I won't be able to vouch for my own temper. If anything happens, try to help me follow my own rules."

Dave could well believe that Balthazar might do something he would regret when it came to Veronica's safety. It made him feel slightly honored that Balthazar trusted him enough to keep him in control. "Yeah, I'll do that."

"And, I have a feeling that Morgana might be released from the Grimhold sooner rather than later, despite our best efforts. However that happens, just promise me that you will do whatever it takes to destroy her." Dave nodded. Balthazar managed one last faint smile, as he said, "And for the record, you wear the old guy shoes very well."

Dave smiled ruefully in return. "Well, my feet disagree with you, but thanks." He held up his fist. "Knuckle bump."

Balthazar almost didn't do such a thing, considering his dignity. But then again, considering what they were about to get into, he really didn't have anything to lose. "Might as well." He bumped Dave's fist with his own, and together the two of them started their penetration.

They arrived at the door relatively easily. It was locked, of course, but such things were meaningless to sorcerers. Balthazar lifted the door silently off its hinges, moving it aside so that they could enter. Dave was slightly stunned at the rich surroundings of Drake's apartment. Well, perhaps gaudy would have been a better term, considering all the gold, ebony, crystal chandeliers and other trappings scattered all over just the entryway. Not to mention Drake seemed to have an ego the size of Mount Everest, as evidenced by the somewhat large and disturbing painting of Drake, attired in the style of a Greek god, with a nearly naked girl staring up at him adoringly on one side and a panther on the other side. Dave looked at the portrait for a split second, before quickly averting his eyes, hoping that the image wouldn't give him nightmares. "That's disturbing." He said, trying not to gag.

"Let's just find the Grimhold and be done with it." Said Balthazar, with a determined set to his eyes.

The two of them split up so that they could cover more ground. Balthazar once again warned Dave not to try and face Horvath on his own. He would be able to sense if he was in trouble, and would come to him at once to help. As Dave moved through the apartment, he couldn't help but notice that everything seemed very quiet. To be quite honest, he had thought that Horvath would have set up some traps.

Dave was rounding the corner of a great fireplace, which was made of some sort of exquisite black marble, carved in the shapes of great cats. "Ostentatious." Dave remarked to himself, and wondered how anyone could be able to stand living with such terrible decorating.

And it was then that his eyes saw the Grimhold. The shell with the witch girl was gone, and Dave briefly wondered what had happened to Abigail Williams. On second thought, maybe it was better not to wonder. No doubt Horvath had done something terrible to her after he released her. Now, the last shell of the doll was sitting on a pedestal in front of the fire place. It was pure black, and just by looking at it, Dave felt that something was wrong. It made him feel cold just by looking at it.

He got down in front of the Grimhold, and was about to reach out for it, when he paused. Oh no, he wasn't going to fall for the old weighted pedestal trick. He had only ever seen this in every Indiana Jones film. Indy takes the artifact off the pedestal and sets off a trap which throws poisoned darts and arrows at him. No way. After puzzling over it for a few seconds, Dave whipped out his hand, and grabbed the Grimhold with one hand, putting his other hand over the pedestal the same moment. He waited with breathless anticipation for a few moments, and felt a little silly when nothing happened.

Having established that there was no trap here, he took a closer look at the Grimhold. Though ostensibly made of wood, like a normal nesting doll, the feel of this shell felt nothing like wood. Balthazar had told him that the material which surrounded the imprisoned sorcerer was a reflection of their inner spirit. Thus, the Grimhold which was surrounding Morgana was cold and slimy, almost like dozens of snakes were crawling over his skin. It certainly wasn't a pleasant sensation.

Dave turned the Grimhold over, and stared at the fractured portrait of Morgana. "So, that's Morgana." He said, to himself. Boy, she looked more than a little scary. He realized that seeing her in the Incantus was one thing, actually holding her this close was entirely different. He suddenly felt a very distinct need to find Balthazar really fast and let him take care of this. He knew that at some point he would have to deal with Morgana, but he still hoped that day was some ways off. For right now, Balthazar was the most qualified person for this thing. Again, he felt some sense of amazement. He could barely handle holding the Grimhold for a few seconds. Balthazar and Veronica had managed it for over a thousand years. They must really be tough.

Hurrying down the hallway which he had come through, he looked around for Balthazar. "Balthazar."

However, instead of Balthazar's comforting and familiar voice, another answered him. "Well, that was easy." Dave almost dropped the Grimhold in his surprise. He whirled around, and what he saw in front of him caused him to freeze with horror.

There was Horvath, looking as dangerous and as arrogant as ever. But, he was holding in front of him like a shield, Becky. He had the glowing cane pressed to her neck, threateningly. Becky was shivering and crying, and her eyes showed that she was clearly terrified.

Horvath was enjoying himself almost too much. He had indeed sworn by his magic that he would not kill or harm Becky, but he had said nothing about scaring her or using her as a tool in order to get the last piece of the puzzle. These two young fools didn't need to know that. The threat of doing so would be more than enough.

"Come on, Dave, you know the drill." Said Horvath, "Give me what I want and I'll let her go."

"Dave, what is going on?" cried Becky.

"It's okay." Said Dave, who could really think of nothing else to say, except to try and calm Becky down. "You're gonna be okay."

"No, she's not." Said Horvath, "She's going to be cut into chunks and fed to the cat, unless you give me the Grimhold and Merlin's ring."

When Balthazar had first told him the story of how Veronica had traded the Grimhold for the safety of her son, he hadn't understood how anyone could have done that. He perhaps had heard of the concept of risking everything for just one person, maybe even understood it on an intellectual level. But he had also thought that is such a situation, the greater good would always come out. Now, seeing Becky in Horvath's clutches, he suddenly understood it all completely. He knew exactly what would happen if he gave the Grimhold to Horvath, but none of that mattered. In that moment, all that was important was making sure that Becky would be safe. He didn't know if Horvath would keep his word, but he had to try.

He held out the Grimhold to Horvath, who called it to his hand. With an almost greater reluctance, Dave took off the ring, which he had gotten used to the feeling of. Having that magic stripped from him was like tearing away part of what made him himself. Horvath then brought the ring flying from his palm onto the handle of his cane, on which were two other glowing conductors of magic.

That was done; Horvath had achieved all that he wanted. He did briefly think of killing them both, but he had given his word to Veronica, and once The Rising occurred, there would be more than enough time for that. He pushed Becky roughly in Dave's direction, and he caught her and held her still sobbing, trembling form in his arms.

Horvath looked at Merlin's dragon ring. "Merlin's ring. It's been awhile since I've been this close to it. I wonder if it still works."

With no warning, he threw a plasma bolt at the two of them. Becky screamed, and Dave barely had time to push her out of the way, sheltering her between the wall and his own body. He briefly caught the smug look of triumph which Horvath threw at them before he disappeared. At that point, though, what Dave was most worried about was making sure that Becky was not physically harmed in any way.

"Becky, are you okay?" Dave asked, when she had managed to calm down a little.

Becky managed to nod, still badly shaken, but there was nothing wrong with her, in terms of broken bones or mutilation. "Dave, what's going on? This weird girl kidnapped me from the station, and then brought me here. I don't remember much of what happened after that, but then that crazy guy seemed to be controlling me somehow, and he kept telling Veronica that he would kill me if she didn't do what he wanted and-"

"Wait, Veronica was here?"

"Yes, or she was. She finally told him that she would do what he told her to do if he swore by his magic or something that he wouldn't kill me, and he told her to go to Battery Park, and wait for him there. Dave, what was he talking about? I didn't understand half of what was being said, but it almost sounded like the two of them were discussing the end of the world."

Dave wasn't sure if he wanted to tell Becky just how close that assessment was. However, before he could do anything, Balthazar appeared around the corner. He looked worried and harried, and it was clear that some sort of magical trap had been the cause of his delay. He saw Dave, and the first thing that he felt was relief. "Where's the Grimhold?" The devastated look on Dave's face was all the answer that he needed. "Horvath."

Dave was now worried about the consequences of his actions. What would Balthazar think of him? Surely he must be disappointed in him. He was a bit disappointed in himself, but a part of him couldn't regret it, for he was certain he would have done the same thing again if he had had to do it over again. "He took my ring. He was going to kill Becky."

Balthazar closed his eyes and nodded. "Of all the realms n the Merlin Circle, love is the most powerful. I know how that feels. I would have done the same thing, Dave. What about Veronica?"

"Becky said that she would do what he wanted if he didn't hurt Becky." Said Dave, "He told her to go to Battery Park and wait there for him."

Balthazar nodded, a desperate resolve forming in his eyes, a resolve that frightened Dave for reasons he couldn't name. Balthazar suddenly turned and strode over to the balcony that circled the penthouse. "Where are you going?"Asked Dave.

"Battery Park. Horvath is going to release Morgana. I have to stop him."

They were on the balcony by this time. "You can't stop both him and Morgana." Said Dave

"I have to try." Said Balthazar, "I have to get Veronica out of there, at least. Without her ring, she'll be defenseless."

"Then I'm going with you."

Balthazar almost smiled. Even when he knew that he could do nothing, Dave still wanted to come to the defense of the people that he cared for. That fact alone made him proud that Dave was his apprentice, regardless of whether or not he had been the Prime Merlinean. However, as his master, Balthazar was responsible for Dave's safety, and he couldn't place him in danger if he could help it. "Without your ring, I can't allow it."

Balthazar then turned and jumped up on the railing of the balcony. Becky gave a surprised gasp at this totally unexpected and bizarre move, but Dave tried to reassure her, "This is normal with him."

Balthazar looked at the two of them. They were so innocent, so good, they had deserved a better end, and Balthazar could only hope that he would be able to get it to them, and that they didn't have to go through the hardships which had plagued him ad Veronica. "No one knows how much time they have, to be with the people who are the most important. Enjoy it."

He was speaking as much to Becky as he was to Dave, but before either of them could question him further, he fell over the side of the balcony, and landed on the steel eagle from the Chrysler Building, which had seemed to appear out of nowhere at his bidding, and flew off to his final battle.

* * *

Please read and review. I hope that everyone has a great Christmas.

Next chapter: Dave finally confesses the truth to Becky about what he does for a living. They are then joined by a most unexpected personage to help them defeat Horvath for the upcoming battle.


	28. The Truth

The Truth:

Balthazar was gone. As the eagle disappeared into the bright lights of the city, Dave felt the bitterness of defeat. This whole situation wasn't technically his fault, but he still wished that there was something he could do, especially for Balthazar's sake. He could only imagine how his teacher must feel. To have come so far, only to be defeated like this was nothing short of cruel.

Now Balthazar would probably be killed, The Rising would occur, the world would end, and… Better not go any further down that path before he worked himself into a depression that nothing would be able to get him out of.

Besides, his attention was drawn by the obviously distraught Becky. Well, she did have a right to be freaked out. She had been kidnapped and threatened with death by a crazy Morganian. However, he had to admit that he still admired Becky for even wanting to stick around. If the same things had happened to him a few weeks ago, he would have run screaming into the night.

"That guy just flew away on an eagle." Said Becky, "A steel eagle!"

"Becky, I've been wanting to tell you about this. I just haven't known where to start. I'm just glad your okay."

Becky took a deep breath, doing her best to calm her nerves. She was scared, but she couldn't ignore what had happened. She took Dave by the hands, looking into his earnest brown eyes and said, gently, but with a great deal of strength, "Dave if you just tell me the truth, I promise that I will do my best to understand."

Dave gulped when he heard this. To be quite honest, he had never even considered how he was going to tell Becky any of this. But, now he knew that she deserved to know what she would be getting into if she wanted to stay with him. Probably she would walk away, which would break his heart, but just might be enough to keep her safe. "Well, the first thing that you have to know about me is that I'm a sorcerer." He paused to see how this registered. She was staring at him, looking rather confused, but she didn't look angry yet. He hurried forward, trying to get everything he could think of out. "I can conjure and shoot plasma bolts out of my hand, speed time, slow it down, varying degrees of levitation. It's all very magical."

Becky was completely surprised and pretty confused. Dave? A sorcerer, really? Yesterday, she wouldn't have thought it possible, but right now, how could she accept any other explanation? Logically, there was no other way to explain what had happened to her. And, yet, despite all that, she was okay with it. "And I thought that my last boyfriend was different because he wore a scarf."

Dave was nearly floored when heard this. "Boyfriend? You said boyfriend?"

"Yeah, should that be so weird?"

"Well, you were just held captive by a sorcerer who threatened to kill you. After that, I was sure that you wouldn't want anything to do with magic."

Becky put her hands on Dave's shoulders and said, "Dave, I know that you would never do anything like that to me. If you have something magical or sorcery or whatever about you, I know that it can't be all bad. I don't understand it completely, but I do understand you. I have faith in you, and I'll try to help you in whatever I can."

Dave could very well have said that he had never been happier. Becky believed in him, and she wasn't mad at him, that was great. But what was more, Becky believed in him, he could see it in her eyes. And it was her belief in him that made him begin to wonder if perhaps there might be a way beyond magic to defeat Horvath, or at least distract him. Hadn't Balthazar said once that his ingenuity and heart would give him an advantage over other Morganians? Didn't that mean, in a way, that he could be more powerful than Horvath at some level? Well, may not, but it was an idea worth pursuing. And it was then, that an idea began to form in his mind.

"Okay, Becky, come on. I have a plan, but we need to get out of here. I can't leave you here on your own."

"You'll get no argument there." Said Becky, with a shudder.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

Both Becky and Dave jumped and whirled around. There, leaning against the doorframe, was Drake Stone. He had somehow managed to sneak up on them. Dave immediately stepped in front of Becky, shielding her from any potential attack.

Drake huffed. "Don't be so jumpy, Wonder Boy. I couldn't do anything to you even if I wanted to."

Dave looked closer at him, and could see that he was right. Drake looked terrible, like he had spent an entire night drinking and woken up with a severe hangover. His eyes looked bloodshot, his skin was pale, and his entire body was limp and stooped.

"What happened to you?"

"Your friend Horvath is what happened." Said Drake, "Put some kind of spell on me, sucked all my magical energy out of my body, _and_ took my ring. I've got your other friend Veronica to thank for me actually able to stand here."

"Yeah, well that still doesn't mean I can't trust you, you Goth Freak."

"Well, no big deal, Wonder Boy, I don't know if I trust you either."

"Shut up, you two." Said Becky, losing patience, "No one's asking you to work together." She pointed at Drake, "You can stay here for all I care."

"Oh, hold on there, I am going with you. I have to get my ring back. And I have a score to settle with Horvath."

"How do I know that this isn't a trap of some sort?" said Dave, who was still understandably loath to trust someone who had tried to kill him (however half-heartedly), on several occasions.

"Without me, you might be spending a lot of time trying to find the place where The Rising is going to happen. And you would have to avoid any Morganian traps that might try and stop us."

All three parties had been so busy arguing semantics that no one heard the door to the apartment opening and closing, nor the sound of footsteps approaching. In fact, no one even noticed that they had yet another visitor, until he made his presence known. "Stop fighting. The future of the entire world is at stake, and you stand there arguing about petty differences."

The voice was so commanding, so intense that all words of argument immediately stopped on their lips. Their eyes turned to the doorway, and there stood a man with black hair, and a piercing, blue-eyed stare. None of them knew who he was, save Becky. He had been the one who had allowed her to follow Dave that day at the Chrysler Building. She had never expected to see him again, and now having him turn up like this, so unexpected? Surely that couldn't be a coincidence.

Michael Harris' gaze swept over the room, seeming to take in every detail in an instant, formulating and planning ahead as he did so. His eyes seemed to settle lastly on Becky, pausing on her for almost a split second longer, before he turned his attention abruptly to Dave. "Now, that there is some peace restored, perhaps you could tell me who you are?"

"Who wants to know?" said Dave, though a little frightened, still felt more willing to protect Becky than look out for his own skin. He knew that the man was a sorcerer, even without his ring. Dave could see it in his stance, his face, even his eyes. "Are you on our side, or theirs?"

Michael eyed Dave critically, and he seemed to approve of the answer he had given. "My name is Michael Harris, Master of the 467th Degree. I was sent by the High Sorcerer of New York. I am a Merlinean. You can trust me."

"How do I know that's true?"

Michael took a step forward, his eyes narrowing and a dangerous edge appearing in his voice. "Believe me, if I wanted to kill you, any of you, you would be dead."

It was no idle boast, but a genuine threat. However, the next instant, he stepped back, and said, in a less hostile tone. "As it is, you do not have to worry about that. I think I recognize you, at least by the echo of your master's aura woven into your own. You're apprentice to Balthazar Blake. Is he here? I need to speak with him."

"Uh, yeah, about that, he kind of flew away, on an eagle."

Michael rolled his eyes, and Dave thought he heard him mutter something about "Damned crazy fool," before returning to the present moment. "No matter, I can already guess what's happened. The eagles at the Chrysler Building have raised the alarm. The sorcerers all across the city are gearing up for a conflict."

All three were totally clueless as to what he had just said. However, none of them particularly wanted to question this guy. "So, why are you here?" asked Drake, who didn't really like the fact that all these Merlineans were hanging around _his_ apartment as though they owned the place. "Why aren't you out there fighting on the front lines?"

Michael cut a glance at Drake. "If I had time, I could give you a lecture about how many times the wars between sorcerers are won and lost by those in the shadows. You had better head for the Chrysler Building, you'll be safest there should things get out of hand."

"Wait, we can't just hide." Said Dave, "I've got to help Balthazar, I know I can do it."

Michael saw the burning determination in the young man's eyes. He could see that it would be difficult if not impossible to talk him out of this. And when he saw the determination equaled in the eyes of the other two (albeit, for very different reasons), he knew that he had his work cut out for him.

"You are quite set on this, aren't you?"

All three of them nodded their head. Michael hoped fervently that he the decision he was about to make would be the right one. Ordinarily, he wouldn't have dreamed of sending three defenseless people into one of the most dangerous magical battles that any in his memory had seen. But, there was something about all of them that made him waver, and if he stopped them going, he somehow felt that the consequences would be far reaching.

"Then go, I won't try and stop you."

They were surprised by this, but were too focused on what they were planning to really question it. It was only when Becky passed him that he reached out ever so slightly to touch her by the wrist. Becky turned and looked at him questioningly. Neither of them noticed that a slight spark of magic spilled over from Michael's jewel into that of the pearl bracelet which was around Becky's wrist. That spark of magic settled into the pearls, which began to glow inwardly with their own inner light.

Michael was to intent upon Becky herself to notice this transfer. "Please, be careful. They have some magical training, even without their rings, you don't. Do not take any unnecessary risks."

Becky was somewhat startled by the intense look on Michaels' face. She didn't know why this guy should be so worried about her. For some reason, it didn't make her feel uncomfortable. Far from it, really, but she just found it odd. "I can take care of myself."

Michael blinked, as though he had just remembered something, and abruptly let her go. "Yes, of course, of course you can. Forgive me. I just worry about everyone. Merlinean occupational hazard."

Becky might have liked to try and question him further, but Dave blotted out all other concerns. Turning, she hurried to follow the others, leaving Michael alone in the apartment.

* * *

Please read and review.

Next chapter: The greatest battle is about to begin. Everything has come down to this. In the midst of The Rising, the courage and resolve of more than a few will be tested, and the choices they make will change the fate of the entire world.


	29. The Rising

Here is a new chapter on the last day of the odl year. Happy New Year to all who read.

The Rising:

Veronica was waiting in Battery Park, by the fountains that Horvath had indicated. She couldn't leave, however much she might have liked too. If she wasn't there when Horvath arrived, Becky would be killed. Even if Horvath had released her in the end, he would still seek her out and kill her if Veronica didn't keep up her half of the bargain. Still, she hated it. She just wanted it to be over, whichever way it ended. She was tired of fighting, tired of not having a life which she could truly call her own.

Horvath eventually arrived. He approached Veronica and said, "So, you _did_ hold up your end of the deal."

"Where's Becky?" Veronica demanded, "What did you to her after I left?"

"Veronica, please calm down. I kept my word. I didn't harm the girl, and when Dave tried to heroically rescue her, I let her go, for all the good that will do them in the next few hours."

Veronica saw the numerous rings glowing on Horvath's staff, among them Merlin's dragon ring, and he held the Grimhold in his other hand. The last shell had peeled away, to reveal the black Morgana crust of the last doll. The dark waves caused Veronica's skin to crawl. "I can see that you still managed to use her to your own ends."

"I never said I would not use fear, merely that I wouldn't harm or kill her. However, I must say Dave is a perfect reflection of your teaching. He gave up the ring and the Grimhold without so much as a fight. I wouldn't hold onto any last minute hopes that he might the Prime Merlinean, he didn't try to stop me even after I took his ring."

"Just do what you came here to do, Horvath, and get it over with."

"Oh, I intend to, but there is one thing I must do first." Tucking the Grimhold into his coat, Horvath withdrew from the same pocket Veronica's ruby ring, and held it out to her.

She looked at it for a moment, before looking at Horvath suspiciously. "Is this some sort of joke? It's in poor taste, Horvath, even for you."

"I'm not trying to make a joke, Veronica. I'm only trying to protect you. Once I release Morgana, The Rising will occur. I can't predict what will happen to you if you are unarmed. I'll give you back your ring, but you need to swear, by your magic, that you will not do anything to stop me from releasing Morgana."

Veronica looked at Horvath, and then looked at her ring. There was, for a moment, a troubled look on her face; as though a thought had occurred to her that she didn't like to contemplate. But just as quickly, it vanished, replaced by a look of calm. "I swear by my magic that I won't stop you from releasing Morgana."

Horvath was quite satisfied with this promise, as he could see that she wasn't lying. He handed her back the ring, and said, "Don't worry, Veronica. Everything will soon be set to right."

Veronica did not respond, only taking back her ring and putting it on her finger. She already knew what she was going to do, and it didn't involve bowing to Horvath's wishes. Perhaps it wouldn't make any difference, but she now had the chance to at least fight back.

She watched closely as Horvath turned and began to talk towards the fountain at the center of the small plaza. The magic on his cane caused the waters to recede. He ascended the stairs until he had reached the top circle, and set the Grimhold down in the exact center of the circle. "Now is The Rising, not is the time."

He pointed his cane at the Grimhold. The blue jewel on the top began to glow, brighter and brighter, as it fed upon the power from the multiple rings that Horvath had stolen. A stream of power burst from the jewel, hitting the Grimhold. The block doll split down the middle and from it emerged the foulest stench and slimy black ooze that could be imagined. Veronica instinctively blanched, wanting nothing more than to turn her head away. But she forced herself to keep her eyes facing forward. She would only get one chance at this; the moment had to be right.

The ooze that seeped out of the Grimhold began to build upon itself, higher and higher, gradually taking on the form of a woman. The more the black slime grew and built, the greater the dark power became. Snakes suddenly burst forth from the slime, winding and weaving around themselves until the form of Morgana was revealed.

And it was only then that Veronica made her move. She had fulfilled her promise. She had not stopped Horvath from releasing Morgana. Now she was released from her promise. She threw the spell in Morgana's direction, and no sooner had Morgana emerged triumphant from her bondage of a thousand years, then Veronica pulled her soul into her own body.

She had often studied the spell of Human Fusion, wondering what would have happened if she had actually been able to keep Morgana contained long enough to control her. The idea had come to her while she had been waiting for Horvath that perhaps she could do the same thing.

But, even after a thousand years, Veronica could never have anticipated the sheer, terrible power of Morgana le Fey. Morgana had been in the Grimhold for millennia, trapped with nothing but herself, and the darkness which had been her constant companion. Her soul had become even more twisted, her powers darker. Veronica did not have any defense against such crippling blackness, and as she felt Morgana's soul fighting her own for supremacy, she already could tell that it was a battle she would lose.

However, she was strong enough for a few crucial seconds to throw a destructive blast of fire at Morgana's limp body, which was ash upon the circle within seconds. This caused Morgana's spirit to scream and attack her with renewed force.

From Horvath's perspective, it all happened so fast that he could do nothing to stop it. He realized that Veronica had tricked him. No easy feat for a Merlinean to do, only Veronica hadn't lied to him. She had only said that she would not stop him from releasing Morgana, anything after that was free game.

But, he could not bring himself to be angry. He was only worried and frightened. Veronica was not prepared to handle this fight. The agony in her face showed this, and when she collapsed, he moved by instinct to her side, hoping he could help, when he knew logically that there was nothing he could do.

The struggle was violent, but brief. When Veronica's body stilled, Horvath found himself hoping for almost a split second that it was Veronica who had managed to win. A strange wish for a hardened Morganian, who had once been Morgana's second in command. But Horvath couldn't help but feel a brief shiver of revulsion at the thought of someone like Morgana inhabiting Veronica's body and soul, it just didn't seem right.

As Veronica rose to her feet, he said, almost hopefully, "Veronica."

However, when she turned around and opened her eyes, any faint trace of hope on Horvath's part was crushed. Her normally sparkling, dark eyes, the eyes that both he and Balthazar had fallen in love with, were now glassed over with the darkness of Morgana's power. And when the woman before him spoke, her voice was a twisted echo of Morgana's cruel hiss. "It's me, Horvath, Morgana." Seeing that he looked slightly crestfallen, she snapped, "No need to look so pathetic. She is still alive. Once I can find a suitable host, I will leave her unharmed, just as I always promised I would. For now, we have more important things to attend to."

Horvath fell in behind Morgana, and the two of them came back to the center of the fountain. Morgana shuddered when she saw the two halves of the Grimhold. "Destroy that thing." She commanded Horvath, making no attempt to hide her distaste. "I never want to see it again."

He picked up the two halves of the Grimhold. "I cannot raise the dead until the circle is complete."

"I will watch as you are in your trance." Horvath responded.

Morgana raised her arms and she began to chant. Her words were a terrible mix of darkness, cold and death, words that could shatter the very fabric of nature and life itself. This was The Rising, and it was only the beginning.

A silent witness to all of this, unseen or unnoticed, Balthazar Blake had crept around the perimeter of the fountain, watching all that had taken place with a sinking feeling of dread. He didn't know what had been worse for him to bear, seeing Veronica in Horvath's clutches, or now seeing the woman he loved possessed by Morgana, knowing that her power was being used by the evil sorceress to fuel The Rising. This changed his plans somewhat, but right now, he was concentrating on getting the Grimhold back from Horvath.

He suddenly wished that he could have brought Dave along as back-up, but he couldn't have risked the life of his apprentice. He was better off alone. The conflict which he and Veronica had been fighting for over a thousand years was about to end. Tonight, one way or another, it would all be over.

* * *

Dave had commandeered the Phantom from where Balthazar had parked it on the curb, and was now driving through the streets of New York. Becky was in front, while Drake rode in the back, a fact which caused the former Morganian no small amount of griping. However, when Dave said he would kick him out if he continued complaining, he went quiet real quickly.

"So, what's the plan?" He asked, as they drove through the streets, "Go in all guns blazing."

"No, something a bit more subtle."

"Subtle? You honestly think subtle is going to make any difference in this case."

"The way you dress, I doubt that you even know what subtle means." Snapped Becky.

Drake shot her a glare, but said nothing. Dave called Bennett on his cell phone, telling him to go to the lab, and retrieve all the spare Telsa coils and remotes that he could find. When he had done that, he said to Becky, "Becky, I have to let you out here." He pulled over to the side of the curb.

"What? Okay." Becky was clearly reluctant to do such a thing.

"I think that I know how to defeat them without any magic. The extra rings on Horvath's cane, he put them there to gain more power, but they make him a better conductor."

"Dave, I have no idea what you're talking about." said Becky, in exasperation.

"Okay, Rebecca," said Dave, "This is how it is. Several evil sorcerers are going to be raised from the dead tonight. So, basically, Morgana is trying to destroy the world as we know it."

Becky stared blankly at him for a moment, before she finally said, "Oh, just that."

"This is really dangerous." Said Dave, "I can't bring you into it."

"Well, I think that I'm already into it." She said, after a pause, and the unspoken addition was clear to both of them, that she had been into it from the very moment that she had met Dave once more. "And if you blow it, we're all going to die anyway, right?" She looked at Dave, and said, earnestly and without hesitation. "I want to come with you."

Granted it might have been those big, blue puppy-dog eyes, but Dave found that he couldn't argue with her. He was continually amazed at how much Becky was willing to face so many unknown dangers for his sake. She was really quite a girl. So, he said the first thing that came into his mind, and for Dave, it was strangely appropriate, "You're sexy."

Of course, the moment was ruined by Drake's cheeky response. "Took you long enough to figure that out, eh? I knew it the first time I saw her."

Becky cut a vicious glare in Drake's direction, "Watch where you're staring, or I'll reposition your eyeballs."

When they had arrived at the lab, Bennett was already there, carrying up the portable Telsa Coil. "You owe me, Dave, big time." He said, griping, "I had to cut my date short just so I could-" He stopped in his tracks when he saw that Dave was accompanied by a really hot chick, and a famous entertainer. "Dave, who's the posse?"

"No time to explain now, Bennett. Help me get this Telsa coil loaded."

Bennett was still in slight shock from seeing Dave actually hanging out with cool-looking people. "Are you Drake Stone?"

"No, I'm his twin brother." Said Drake, sarcastically.

"Bennett!"

"All right, all right, Dave, I'm coming."

The two of them managed to get the Telsa coils hooked onto the front of the Phantom. Bennett then brought over another box which he had brought up from the lab. "I got all the spare coil remotes."

"Thanks, buddy, I appreciate it." said Dave, as he put the finishing touches onto the Telsa coil.

"Oh, I found this in the lab after your call." Bennett handed Dave a piece of cloth, along with a piece of paper.

"_Give this back to Veronica, Balthazar."_ Dave read. He opened the cloth, only to find Veronica's necklace. He held it up and his heart sank as the message became clear to him. "I don't think Balthazar's planning on coming back."

"I don't know what you're into here, Dave. But whatever it is, you are definitely participating." Said Bennett, who was now giving this entire situation his seal of approval.

"Thanks, Bennett." Said Dave, a little awkwardly.

"Hey, Wonder Boy, shouldn't we be burning rubber?" said Drake.

"Yeah, right come on, guys, let's go."

They got back into the Phantom and Dave really started to step on the gas. They needed to get to Battery Park and fast. About ten minutes into the ride, they got a none to subtle hint that they were running out of time. Drake suddenly flinched and a pained look appeared across his face. Before Dave could ask him what was wrong, he looked up into the sky through the windshield and was shocked when he saw that the night sky was ablaze with streaks of fire, that were bouncing from building to building through the use of the satellites. "Whoa, what is that?"

"What?" asked Becky, who couldn't see or feel anything out of the ordinary. "What is it?"

"It's The Rising." Said Drake, who still looked like he was in a great deal of discomfort. "It's happening."

Becky looked back at Drake. "Why do you look constipated?"

"Wonder Boy there is seeing those pulses; I'm feeling them, like thousands of electric sparks in the air."

"But, we don't have our rings."

"Doesn't matter. Residual energy left in the body can still be activated when the magic is heavy enough. And this is some pretty strong magic."

"Wow, that sounded almost scientific."

"I'm not just another pretty face, Wonder Boy."

"That's a matter of opinion, Goth Freak."

"Could you two stop trading insults and tell me what's going on?" said Becky.

"I think that they're using the satellite dishes on the tops of the buildings to amplify the electromagnetic energy." Said Dave. Struck with a sudden, desperate idea, he pulled over to the curb, in front of a large building. One of the satellites at the top was a prime transmitter of The Rising's power.

However, he couldn't do this part of the plan himself. He was going to have to ask Becky to face her biggest challenge of the night. "Becky, I need you to go all the way to the top of that thing."

Becky's eyes nearly bugged out of her head. Terror flashed in her face and she suddenly found herself becoming breathless. All the way to the top? Surely Dave couldn't be serious. She hated heights. "Great."

"Just do whatever you can to disrupt the signal. We need time."

Becky was still terrified, but she knew, somehow, that this was incredibly important, more important than anything she had ever done. Her actions, right here and now, would have far reaching consequences. She had to make the right choice. Gathering her courage, she nodded and said, "I'll try."

She opened the car door and got out. "Becky, wait." Even if it was totally pointless, he wanted to know something that he had always wondered. "That note I wrote when we were kids, friend or girlfriend, I never saw what you wrote. So, before we die could you tell me."

Becky looked at him for a moment, before she smiled and said, "Don't die and I'll tell you." Then, she slammed the door before Dave could say anything else and hurried away.

Dave was left with a little frustration, which wasn't helped when Drake said, "Boy, she's bloody infuriating."

"Yeah, but I saw her first, so lay off." Said Dave, as he started the Phantom again.

"Hey, ease off there, Wonder Boy. And by the way, the name is Drake Stone. If we're going to be working together, we might as well be formally introduced."

"Dave Stutlar, nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you, too."

* * *

The Battle of Battery Park, as the conflict would come to be known in the Incantus, did not have a very great beginning. Morgana, in the form of Veronica, cast The Rising, totally oblivious to what was going on around her. The fire around the main pedestal of the fountain was slowly coming together, as she sent great blasts of power to all four corners of the compass, completing the Summoning Star in the sky overhead.

Horvath had his own task to see to, and one that would give him a more than a little bit of satisfaction. He called a small ring of fire in one of the outer circles of the fountain, preparing to burn the Grimhold to ash. The prison which he had been trapped in for eighty years would soon be destroyed. He wasn't going to miss it.

But just as he was about to cast the Grimhold into the flames, it stopped and hovered in the air, before it was called into the hands of none other than Balthazar Blake. Horvath cursed himself. He should have known that he would have to contend with Balthazar. His old enemy would not let The Rising happen without a fight. He had felt a whisper of magic just moments before, thought that he had seen or heard something. But there had been nothing there for him to see when he looked. Now, he knew why: Balthazar had managed to sneak up on him, hiding himself in a blind by constructing an invisible hole in the ground.

Horvath was angered by the deception, but was also quite confidant of his chances for success. "Enough of your old tricks, Balthazar."

Balthazar summoned a plasma bolt from behind his back, and said, "As you wish."

His hand whipped from behind hid back, intending to throw the plasma bolt at Horvath. However, to his surprise, the plasma bolt was stopped in mid-air. In fact, Balthazar could feel it pressing against his hand, as though the small mass of energy was now trying to attack him.

And it was then that he noticed that Horvath's cane was adorned with three different jewels, all of them glowing menacingly, as their power fed his own. "Time was, things were pretty even between us, Balthazar." Said Horvath, smugly. "But as you can see, I've acquired some new jewelry."

He made a throwing motion with his can, sending a plasma bolt in Balthazar's direction. The force from the blow threw him backwards several feet and he was forced to grab the fence surrounding Battery Park in order to avoid getting blown out into the street.

Horvath strode over to him, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "A matador, gored by a bull, can take up to die." Balthazar heard a low rumbling, and turned his face towards the New York Stock Exchange, and the iconic bull that stood in front of it. The bull had been enchanted with Horvath's magic, in the same way that the eagles on the Chrysler building responded to him. However, the magic of Horvath was filled with malice and anger. When the bull came alive, it was these qualities which fueled it.

The bull turned its menacing stare on Balthazar. He let loose a loud roar and shook its great horned head. "Sounds unpleasant, doesn't it?" remarked Horvath, almost conversationally.

The bull struck the ground with its hooves, and rushed Balthazar head on. Balthazar, who was still winded and dazed from Horvath's previous attack, barely managed to scramble to his feet, and dart behind an SUV. The bull wasn't able to change its course in time and it slammed into the car, getting his horns caught in the windows in the process.

This did nothing to help the stone animal's disposition. It bellowed and shook his head, lifting the SUV up into the air, causing glass to rain down on the pavement. Balthazar was somehow able to dodge the glass and dashed away from the bull as it tired in vain to get the vehicle off of its head. Unfortunately, Balthazar was only able to get a few feet before he was tripped up by Horvath, who sent a nearby newspaper stand slamming into Balthazar's body.

Balthazar was too weak by this time to offer an effective defense against Horvath's superior magic. Horvath knew it, as well. As he came towards him, his can once more glowing bright blue, he taunted his long time enemy, "The circle is nearly complete, Balthazar. It must feel really rotten, so many years fighting to stop this one moment, and then coming up short."

Balthazar had nothing to say that. But before any sort of final stand could be made on his part, a loud roar filled the air, and it did not come from the bull, or any other living thing for that matter. In fact, it sounded suspiciously like the roar of a car horn. Horvath heard it too, and the two of them actually paused for a split second to listen.

Balthazar recognized it first. "That's my car."

* * *

Dave raced the Phantom through the streets of New York. He had never had cause to curse the hideous traffic for which the city was famous, but now he was dreading every second that passed, because it meant that it would be one less second that he would be able to help Balthazar.

He had already had to endure one interminable wait, when he had been forced to stop the Phantom for a taxi that was dropping off a little old lady (with a walker, of course). Drake had suggested that they zip around to the sidewalk, a plan which Dave had somewhat irately turned down. It also seemed that Drake had a hard time figuring out why that was.

But a few minutes later, once they were actually moving again, Drake actually proved to be useful. He suddenly put a hand on Dave's shoulder, forcing him to stop. "What?" asked Dave.

"Morganian checkpoint up ahead." Said Drake, pointing to an intersection a few blocks away. "They'll be stopping anyone who they sense as having magic. They'll still be able to sense us without our rings, and I get the feeling that a Telsa coil hooked up to the front of your car probably wouldn't help us get past them."

"How did you spot it?"

"I just know. It's got all the markings of one. I may not have much idea about how the Morganians operate in this city, but I can still see a Morganian trap a mile away."

"Well, can we go around?" asked Dave, who was getting the feeling that Drake wasn't lying. Maybe being a poor liar himself meant that he could see when others were telling the truth.

"Yeah, that way." Said Drake, pointing, "Might take us out of our way for a few blocks, but it's better than winding up Morganian clutches."

"No kidding." Said Dave, turning the car, "Thanks."

"I'm just looking out for my own skin, Wonder Boy." Said Drake, "Won't do me much good if the Morganians capture me along with you."

As it turned out the little delay wouldn't cost them much. They zoomed onto the scene at exactly the right moment. Balthazar was on the ground, with Horvath advancing on him, cane glowing. When the Phantom roared up, Horvath turned his attention to them, thinking that one good blast would be all that was needed to take care of the Prime Merlinean once and for all. However, not even Horvath with all his new-found power could hope to stand against the laws of science.

When Dave pressed the remote for the Telsa coil, the full force of the electrical lightening it produced was drawn to Horvath's cane as effectively as a lamp lures flies, and like such flies which come to close to those flames, Horvath ended up getting burned. He cried out in pain as the plasma caused by the coil traveled through the cane and into his arm. The charge was not enough to kill him, but it was enough for his mind to be totally distracted from the situation at hand. His cane was torn away from him, and Balthazar took advantage of the moment to fire a plasma bolt at Horvath, which sent the Morganian flying. He landed in one of the gates to Battery Park, and lay completely still.

Balthazar turned a relieved glance at Dave, but before he could say anything, the roaring of the momentarily forgotten bull caught his attention. The bull had managed to get his horns free of the car, and was now running towards Balthazar with the full intent of mauling him into the pavement. Balthazar had nowhere to run, so he tried to brace himself for the blow, but it never came. A loud shriek filled the air, as the steel eagle from the Chrysler building descended upon the battle, picking up the bull in its large talons and carrying it away.

"Thank you." Balthazar called to the eagle.

Dave and Drake got out of the Phantom and hurried over to Balthazar. Well, Dave hurried over, Drake followed, at his own pace. "Balthazar, are you all right?" Dave asked, as he arrived at Balthazar's side and helped him to his feet.

"For someone whose been blasted by multiple plasma bolts, nearly gored by a bull, and generally gotten the crap beaten out of him, not bad. Thanks for the help, I sure needed it."

"Hey no problem." Said Dave.

Balthazar only noticed Drake at this point. And Drake, who really didn't have what could be called a smooth relationship with the great Merlinean sorcerer suddenly felt rather small and insignificant, especially under that glare. "May I ask what he is doing here?"

"Balthazar, it's all right. He's on our side now, sort of."

"Sort of, that's certainly comforting." He looked hard at Drake, "Look, Stone, I don't have time to question you, so I'll make it simple for you: right now, are you with us or against us?"

"Don't worry, I'm with you." said Drake, who despite some of the confusion which had been growing in his mind over the past few days, was not really sure that he wanted to get on the wrong side of Balthazar Blake at this particular moment. He was fine with being a temporary Merlinean if it spared him that.

Balthazar seemed satisfied with the answer, even if it was clear he still didn't entirely like Drake being there. "Fine. In that case, we have to hurry, The Rising-"

He was cut off by something which they all sensed. Morgana had been at work during the entire battle, paying no attention whatsoever to her surroundings. And during that time, the circle had been brought closer and closer to completion, until it was finally closed. The summoning star, which was the symbol of Morganian power and the source of The Rising's dark power, had been created in the sky over New York. From its center, a thick, black smoke, darker than night itself was forming and blowing out across the entire world. The three sorcerers could almost feel the cold, unnatural magic seeping into the very earth, seeking the souls of all who had followed Morgana, to create an army that none could hope to stand against.

They all realized that they were too late, and they had no choice but to make a final stand.

* * *

And that's the end, everyone dies and the world comes to an end. Well, okay maybe not, but it could have happened that way, let's face it. Anyway, please read and review.

Next chapter: The Rising is averted, thanks to Becky's bravery. However, Morgana is still alive and kicking. And Dave is about to find out that the greatest moments of heroism come at the most unexpected of moments.


	30. The Prime Merlinean

The Prime Merlinean:

Becky had never thought that her life would evolve into scenes that increasingly resembled a spy movie. But, now here she was, running blindly down the hallway of this building, only a few steps from the roof itself. It might have seemed even more like a scene from James Bond if she had been able to sneak up here unawares. But, it turned out that she had managed to be stopped by a guard, again.

Yet, how she had gotten out of it had been the strangest thing she had ever experienced in her life. She had been rushing to the bank of elevators, when she had heard the voice of a security guard behind her. "Miss, you don't have access to those elevators."

Groaning inwardly, she had turned back around. "Sir, you don't understand. I have to use those elevators."

"Miss, you shouldn't even be here at this hour of the night. Please leave before I'm forced to call the police."

Becky knew that she couldn't count on the sudden appearance of a stranger to get her out this. She was on her own. "You don't understand. I have to get to the roof. You can't stop me, this is important."

It was at this point, that the unexpected had occurred. She had fully expected that the guard would get personal with her, and try to drag her away. However, the guard stopped and stared at her, in an almost confused, undecided manner. Becky felt a tingling on her wrist at almost the exact same moment, and then she looked down and was astonished to see that her bracelet was glowing inwardly. What the heck was going on? This had definitely never happened before. What was even odder was that she somehow felt that tingling move out through the pearls on her bracelet, as though the sheer determination within her was moving into the guard.

A few seconds later, she was totally stunned when the guard said, "I can't stop you from going to the roof. You should use those elevators."

Becky was completely stunned. She hadn't been expecting that to happen. She had always had a dynamic personality, with a gift for persuasion, but not even she had ever thought that she would have been able to use it like this. What was more, the guard didn't seem to be merely agreeing with her, he almost seemed in a trance.

Becky didn't have time to explore this as deeply as she would have liked. She had to get to the roof, and she had to make sure that she met with no more road blocks. As long as she had this guy's attention, she might as well take advantage of it. "You'll make sure that there's nothing in my way." She told the guard, hoping that her luck would hold. "Unlock all the doors and turn off all the security cameras."

The guard nodded obediently. "I'll turn off all the cameras and unlock all the doors."

Becky blinked, a little surprised that it had worked again. "Well, yeah, right, thanks. You can go now."

The security guard turned and went back to his desk. Becky might have once been too shocked to even remember what she had come there for, but despite the fact that she was extremely puzzled, she was still clear headed enough to know what she had to do. After all, the things she had been through tonight, she had a feeling that the weird and unexpected was about to become the new normal.

She took the elevator up to the roof, her heart racing faster as the floors sped by. The floors sped by. The very thought of being this high up was enough to kick in all of her old fears of heights.

Those fears skyrocketed once she got up on the roof itself. The wind was whistling all around her, her palms were sweaty, and a dizzy feeling was causing her head to spin. She would have liked nothing more than to run back to the safety of the ground, but she couldn't do that. Dave was depending on her.

She looked up at the satellite, which she could only get to by climbing up the tower, which suddenly looked very flimsy. She swallowed her fear, reached out to take hold of the steel structure, and began to climb.

After the experience, Becky would always remember those five minutes as the longest of her life. The higher she went, the heavier her limbs felt, until it was an effort to just raise her arms to the next rung. She climbed blindly upwards, hardly aware that she was getting closer to the satellite dish until she found herself right beside it.

And it was only then that she heard it. She could not see the flames that were being produced by The Rising, she couldn't even feel it. But she could hear it. Dozens and dozens of voices, screaming and shrieking in a way that seemed to resemble the rhythms of music. But that music was harsh and ugly, atonal in the extreme. It hurt Becky's ears, and she wanted to block out the sound. It was only than she understood a little of what Dave meant when he spoke of magic, and that something terrible was happening.

A new strength had washed over Becky. It gave her the will to do what she had to do in order to stop the calamity from happening. Hardly knowing how she did it, she levered herself over the steel bars, so that she was dangling half over the street far below. Refusing to look down, she began to kick the satellite dish over and over again.

With each strike, that terrible, dark music seemed to dissipate ever so slightly. Finally one last kick caused the satellite to shift wildly to one side. The shrieking died away and Becky was met only by the sounds of the wind. She waited for a few seconds, breathless and uncertain. Had it worked? Was The Rising stopped? Where was Dave? Knowing, somehow instinctively that there was little else she could do here, she began to scramble down the tower. She had heard Dave say that they were going to Battery Park. That's where she had to go.

Little could Becky have guessed the importance of her actions. Thanks to her bravery, The Rising was stopped at the most crucial moment. Already Morgana's spell had begun to raise her followers from their graves. But with the destruction of one of its critical points, the Summoning Star had collapsed. The Star had begun to vanish, all the dark power unleashed streaking back to its source in Battery Park.

That source was Morgana herself, but she still inhabited the body of Veronica. As the power of The Rising rushed back to her, they were both struck. The sheer evil Morgana had sought to unleash not even she could handle, and when it rushed upon her, the two women in one body were overwhelmed, and collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

Balthazar, Dave and Drake had seen this whole thing, and knew what was going on. Balthazar and Dave hurried forward to help Veronica, but Drake lingered behind. He really didn't know what he was supposed to do now that he was there. He couldn't even bring himself to do anything to Horvath's prone form. So, he was a silent witness to what passed in the final confrontation at Battery Park.

Balthazar rushed up to Veronica's unconscious body. Cradling her in his arms, he checked her vital signs. "Is she-" asked Dave, knowing what would happen to Balthazar if she was dead.

"They're both still with us." Balthazar replied. But for how long, not even he knew. And once Veronica came to, Morgana would still be in control, and the whole sequence of events would start once again. Veronica would still be trapped. Balthazar knew it was up to him to stop this, and he knew how.

Placing his hand on Veronica's forehead, Balthazar initiated the spell, drawing Morgana's still dormant spirit into his own body. He brought Veronica's lips up to his own, for one last kiss. He would probably never have the chance again.

Veronica's spirit immediately could sense there was a difference, as the crushing weight on her soul had lifted. Her eyes, opened, bright and brown once more. The first thing that she saw was Balthazar, and her heart leapt with joy to see that he was all right. But, that joy vanished nearly as soon as she saw the agonized look on his face. Horror flooded through her as she realized what was going on. "Balthazar," She questioned, frantically, "What have you done?" She already knew the answer, but she couldn't believe that Balthazar was making this sacrifice for her.

Balthazar tried to smile, but it came out only as a pained grimace. "What you did for me so many times. I was just tired of you taking all the spotlight."

Balthazar couldn't keep up the pretence for long. Morgana knew that she had transferred to a different host, and she was trying to assert herself. Balthazar knew that he only had a few seconds.

Tearing his face away from Veronica, he turned to Dave and threw the Grimhold to him. "Remember your promise."

"What?" said Dave, completely shocked by what Balthazar was asking him to do.

"You'll do whatever it takes to destroy Morgana."

"Balthazar, no." cried Veronica. She couldn't stand to lose Balthazar, not like this, this wasn't the way that this was supposed to end.

Dave was of the same mind. He was sure that there had to be another way. "No, I'm not going to lock you in this thing."

"Neither will I." declared Veronica.

Balthazar would have argued, but by that time, it was too late. As he turned around to face Veronica, she blanched when she saw his eyes glowing with a sickly green color and from his lips issued the twisted voice of Morgana, cackling sarcastically at the naïve display of loyalty. "How sweet."

At this point, Morgana had had enough of playing. She was still powerful beyond anything that Veronica or Balthazar could hope to defeat. Fired by pure malice, she no longer even needed a physical body to make a stand. Letting loose a terrible cry, she twisted free of Balthazar's body, appearing as hundreds of sharp, individual flecks of dust. They formed together into a cloud and blew over the heads of the three Merlineans, coming to rest on the other side of the fountain. There the flecks of dust coalesced together, forming into Morgana's body. She was all spirit now, and that made her even more dangerous.

"And now we end this." She snarled, forming a massive fireball in her hands, and sending it towards Balthazar and Veronica. They were both to weary from their previous exertions to form a shield which would have been strong enough to protect them from the strength of Morgana's magic. They both knew that they were going to die.

Balthazar felt Veronica's hand gripping his tightly. _"Veronica, I love you."_

"_And I love you, Balthazar."_ They both took some comfort, however small, in knowing that if they were going to die, they would do so together.

But the blast of heat, the pain of feeling the flesh melting from their bones never came. They both opened their eyes, only to find that they were being protected inside a giant vacuum sphere, and producing it was none other than Dave himself.

When he had seen the people he cared about in danger, Dave had not hesitated, or even thought about his next actions. He had reacted entirely on instinct, darting in front of Balthazar and Veronica, seeking to protect them. Somehow, in a way that no amount of science can explain, that selfless act of pure love had been the final piece which allowed Dave to claim his destiny.

Dave stared at the way his hands were forming the vacuum sphere. "No way," He breathed, completely stunned by what he was doing. He glanced back at Balthazar. "No ring." He said, as if he couldn't believe it himself.

But the only thing on Balthazar's face was pride and joy. "It is you." He had never doubted it.

"You've done it, Dave." Said Veronica, almost as joyfully.

Morgana was the only one present who was not so thrilled. The aura flaring off Dave was powerful and all too familiar. She realized immediately who she was facing, and what she would have to do. "The Prime Merlinean."

The fireball died away, only to be followed by several plasma bolts aimed at the three of them, particularly at Balthazar and Veronica, as Morgana sought to destroy any back up that Dave could count on. Balthazar and Dave were able to deflect them, but Veronica was so weak, that her shield faltered on the first blow.

"Veronica!" cried Balthazar, as he flung himself in front of her. Morgana had thrown a massive plasma bolt at Veronica at almost the exact same moment. Balthazar took the blast full in the chest, and the shock sent him flying backwards, off the fountain and onto the dusty path below. Veronica rushed to his side, which left Dave more or less on his own to face Morgana.

And Dave realized, like it or not, this was how it was supposed to be. It had all come down to this. He had to face Morgana here and now, to save all the people he cared for, not to mention the rest of the world. But for some reason, he wasn't terrified of the idea. Of course, there was still some fear inside him, for only a sheer idiot wouldn't have been afraid of Morgana. However, he now had the strength inside him, and he wasn't going to let that fear control him. He knew who he was and what he had to do.

"Now, it's my turn." Said Dave. He brought his hands together and formed two plasma bolts. They shot past Morgana, missing her by a mile, and disappearing into a building at the far end of the clearing.

Morgana watched these two pathetic attempts, and then turned back to Dave, making no attempt to hide her sarcasm. "Is that the best you can do?"

"I sure hope not." Said Dave. He summoned more plasma bolts and began to pummel Morgana's form, but it was all in vain. In her spirit form, Morgana was able to split her body apart, allowing the plasma bolts to harmlessly pass through her. No matter where Dave aimed, whether torso, shoulder, or even head, Morgana evaded them all.

Dave paused to catch his breath. Morgana took full advantage of his fatigue, seizing the chance to destroy the Prime Merlinean, once and for all. "And now, it's my turn." She declared triumphantly.

She called upon her greater powers, sending blast after blast of powerful plasma bolts at Dave. It was only because Dave's desperate shields that he was able to survive. But those shields were weak, and the backlash from the blasts drove him to his knees.

Things were looking very bad. But Morgana was so intent on killing Dave, that she didn't notice what was happening around her. The first two shots from Dave, judged so quickly by her as being nothing more than wayward shots, had actually been part of a much larger plan. The plasma bolts had landed in the maintenance shed for that area of Battery Park. This shed contained cables, mops, and a control panel for all the power systems.

The cables responded to Dave's commands, and as one a group of cables had moved out of the shed, and were now coming towards the fight. This time, Dave was in control, and he knew what to do. The cables slithered out along the ground, resembling thick black snakes. They moved up the light poles which surrounded the fountain, curling around the iron bars and preparing to connect to the electrical power of the lamps which surrounded the fountain.

Morgana saw none of this. She was unmindful of any danger. All she could see was that Dave was brought low, and she had him at her mercy. "You have Merlin's powers," She said, sneeringly, "But you don't have his strength or his skill."

But Dave wouldn't be frightened. He had Morgana right where he wanted her. "But, I'm not alone. I brought a little science with me. Now!"

A mop flipped the switch in the shed. The cables connected to the lights. The next moment, Battery Park was ablaze with flashing, blinding electrical energy. And as electrical energy was drawn like a magnet to the strongest conduit, Morgana became the prime target for their energy. Morgana's spirit form cried in agony as the electricity arched off of and through her, the energy of the two sources sucking all of the power dry. Meanwhile, Dave was fed by the energy which surrounded him, and he absorbed that power, and sent plasma bolts directly into Morgana's heart.

Morgana's spirit form began to lose its cohesion, to come apart at the very seams. Morgana was now utterly defenseless. Dave began a barrage of plasma bolts, aiming them at strategic points along Morgana's body. Each blast destroyed part of Morgana's body, chipping away at it bit by bit. Morgana was brought lower and lower, until finally only her head remained. And then, it was destroyed completely.

As the conduit of Morgana's body vanished, so too did the lightening storm. And for the first time that night, there was complete and utter silence. Morgana le Fey, the enemy of all mankind, was finally and forever defeated.

* * *

Please read and review.

Next chapter: Dave has claimed his destiny as the Prime Merlinean. But, he still has one more test to complete when he draws upon the greatest power of all to save Balthazar.


	31. The Forebidden Realm

The Forbidden Realm:

Dave's energy was for a moment sapped from him. He was breathing heavily and could feel his limbs shaking, from excitement or exhaustion he couldn't tell. He could hardly believe what he had just accomplished. When he raised his tired eyes to look at the place where Morgana had been standing only a few moments before, there was nothing but dust which was blown away by the wind.

"I did it!" He whispered to himself, as if finally believing it for the first time. Yes, he had done it! He really had! This was the most amazing thing ever. He turned around and said excitedly, "Balthazar, I actually did it."

He froze when he saw Veronica kneeling on the ground beside Balthazar, who was pale and frighteningly still. Veronica looked up at Dave, tears sparkling in her dark eyes, as she choked out, "He's gone."

Dave was completely stunned. "No, he-he can't be gone. Not now."

Veronica could not offer any words of comfort, for she had none for herself. Merlin had taught his apprentices to accept whatever life brought, especially death. But, she could not allow herself to accept this. She felt like screaming, but she had no voice. This wasn't fair. It wasn't supposed to end like this. Balthazar and she could have had a life now, but at the very moment when they should have had a new beginning, he had been snatched from her.

For Dave himself, the loss was equally great. He had lost his Master, his friend, a man who had believed in him when not even he himself had. In many ways, Balthazar had become almost like a second father to him. To have him taken away now when he needed him most was too cruel.

Their silent grief was interrupted by Drake's almost hesitant foot falls upon the path. Drake hadn't exactly helped with the fight. In fact, he really hadn't done anything. Not really out of cowardice, he had just known instinctively that there was nothing he could do. Seeing Morgana in all her radiant, evil glory had opened his eyes to what the Morganians really fought for, and that he wanted no part in that, even if he could not see himself on the other side. However, not even he could escape seeing for the first time, the true power of sacrifice. As Balthazar had drawn Morgana's soul into his body to save Veronica, and when Dave had risk everything to help them, all when it had seemed that it would all be in vain. It made him wonder if such things that the Merlineans believed in, sacrifice, compassion, love, were really so foolish after all.

Now, seeing that two people who he kind of felt he owed just been dealt a devastating loss, he didn't really feel that he could keep silent. "It's all for the best, right?" He said, trying to put his thoughts into words and failing miserably. "In the grander scheme of things, I mean. He died completing his quest. He found you, Dave, and well, look at what you just did. That's how he would want to die, right?"

Drake, to their surprise, was genuinely trying to be respectful. There was no trace of the old sarcasm or devil may care attitude that so marked his personality. Instead, he was serious, stumbling over his words, trying to show respect. It was not the beginning of a full fledged conversion. But it made Drake seem more human than Dave had thought him capable of being.

But Drake's statement also made Dave think of something. He had Merlin's powers, he was certain of that now. Merlin had always been Morgana's opposite. If Morgana caused death, Merlin could restore life. And why could he not do the same?

"It may be what he would like," said Dave in response to Drake's statement, "But it's not good enough."

He got to his feet and moved closer to Balthazar's body. "Veronica, could you please step back? If Morgana can stop his heart, maybe I can start it again."

Veronica, seeing the determined look in Dave's eyes, quickly moved back a few steps from Balthazar. Dave stood over Balthazar, and summoned a Merlin Circle, the flaming color representing the Forbidden Realm, the power over life and death itself. Dave hadn't been trained in that Circle. Apprentices were forbidden to enter that circle, the only exception being for ceremonial purposes. Only sorcerers of the highest caliber were permitted entry into the space to cast spells.

And yet, Dave needed no training. He knew exactly what he needed to do. He drew upon everything that Balthazar had taught him, as well as all the goodness in his own soul, and summoned plasma bolts, now meant to heal, rather than destroy.

"All right, buddy, listen. You with all your stupid rules," He fed the plasma bolts into Balthazar's heart, admonishing him desperately. "Your old man shoes, and always saving me with that look in your eyes. Come on! Come on!"

But, even though Balthazar's inner being glowed briefly from the energy of the plasma bolts, they seemed to have no effect. He continued to lay still and he showed no sign of life. Dave gave up after a few tries, frustrated, angry and devastated, that the one thing he really wanted wasn't happening.

But, then Balthazar's eyelids flickered. His chest began to rise and fall, and his heart to beat once more. His eyes opened and, unsurprisingly perhaps, his first words were a slightly ironic joke to Dave. "I had a dream. You were insulting me, Dave, repeatedly."

Veronica found herself laughing through her tears, only this time, they were tears of joy. Balthazar was alive. That all she needed and all that mattered.

Dave himself couldn't put his relief into words. But his reply was perfectly appropriate. "Me? Seems a bit odd?"

"No," said Balthazar, a little groggily, "It kind of makes sense."

Dave grinned and reached into his pocket. Taking out the necklace, he put it into Balthazar's hands. "I think you can probably give this back to Veronica yourself now."

Balthazar smiled. "Thank you."

Veronica stepped into the circle and helped Balthazar, while Dave moved away to give them some privacy. "Balthazar, you're alive." Veronica could think of nothing else to say, her joy was too great. She helped Balthazar to his feet, and the two shared a tender kiss. There was lightness in both their souls that they hadn't felt in a long time. They both knew that they were free. It was finally over.

"I love you, Firefly." said Balthazar, once the kiss had ended, and he put the necklace around her neck, back where it belonged.

"I love you, Balthazar." Said Veronica, smiling.

As Dave was walking past him, Drake said, "Hey, what you did back there, was nice."

It was really the only thing that Drake could say in the face of having witnessed such a miracle, but he meant it. Dave nodded in acknowledgement. He wasn't yet ready to admit that he could like Drake, but he could at least acknowledge that perhaps he wasn't quite so bad. "Thanks. I was glad you were on side tonight, Drake."

"So am I, Dave. I'm just glad I'm not on the losing side."

Dave rolled his eyes at this. He supposed that he shouldn't have been so surprised that Drake was still his old self. But before he could think of any smart remark for Drake, he heard Becky's voice calling his name. "Dave."

Dave immediately turned around and hurried over to Becky, who was running toward him. Drake couldn't help but feel that Dave had come out on top of this scenario. He had gotten the girl, after all.

Becky and Dave rushed into each other's arms, and embraced. They were both overjoyed to see each other alive. They hadn't even been certain if they would be able to see each other again. "Becky, you did it." said Dave.

"I know, and I'm alive." Becky was elated that she had faced her fears, and that the rewards had been exactly what she had wanted.

The two of them kissed, a totally unplanned and spontaneous celebration of the fact that they were alive, before a thought popped into Becky's head. "Oh, right, the note friend or girlfriend."

But at this point, Dave could have cared less what the answer was then, because he knew the answer to it now. "I don't care."

He pulled her into another kiss, and after several seconds, Becky pulled away from him and grinned hugely. "Girlfriend, definitely girlfriend."

"Would you like to have breakfast with me, in France?"

Becky's eyes went wide. "France?"

"Yeah," Suddenly a cry from the eagle overhead interrupted him and the next moment, the steel bird landed right beside him. "I got us a ride."

Becky laughed. Having a sorcerer for a boyfriend was no doubt going to be completely crazy, but it was also going to be really cool. "Okay, you're fun."

A few minutes later, Dave and Becky were on the eagle and flying across New York. Veronica and Balthazar watched them go. "I suppose he's not going to be back for at least a day." Said Balthazar.

"Well, who just goes to Paris for the breakfast?" said Veronica, "Now, sit down, Balthazar, you're the one who nearly died last night, you're going to be needing the rest most of all."

Balthazar, for once, wasn't in the mood to argue. So, he sat down and allowed Veronica to take care of any last minute details, one of those being Drake. He was looking after Dave and Becky, when Veronica came up beside him. She had found Horvath's cane, but a cursory glance of the surrounding area related that he was nowhere in sight.

"I suppose you didn't happen to see where Horvath went, did you?"

"No, it's not like watching him was my job."

"I'm not accusing you of anything. I suppose that I shouldn't be surprised that he managed to get away, again. He was always a tricky one. But he's not much of a threat without his cane, until he makes a new one. Speaking of which." She removed the dragon ring, Abigail's pendant and Drake's ring from the staff. The dragon ring she placed in her pocket. She conjured a small flame in the air in front of her, and threw the pendent into it, which burned within seconds. She then handed Drake his ring. "This is yours."

Drake was a little surprised. "You're giving it to me, just like that?"

"Yes, why not?"

Drake shook his head. "I don't know, maybe I'm still used to thinking like a Morganian?"

"So you're finally ready to admit that?"

"Yeah, maybe." Said Drake, after a moment, clearly loath to admit that she was right. "But, I'm not a do-gooder either."

"No one's saying that you have to be."

"Then what am I?"

"Sometimes in order to find your way anywhere, Drake, you have to admit that you don't know where you are."

"That doesn't make any sense."

"Think about it, Drake. I'm sure it will with time."

Drake wasn't ready to admit that yet, but at the same time, he didn't think he could deny it. So, he merely settled with, "Thanks by the way, for, well, for everything. And given how I hardly ever thank anyone, you should know what a big deal that is."

"You're welcome, Drake. It's all in a day's work really."

"I need to get home." Said Drake, after a moment, "I'm feeling really tired."

"That will dissipate in the next few weeks. I wouldn't suggest doing any magic during that time."

"Yeah, don't worry."

Drake left, and Veronica went back to Balthazar. He was looking after Drake, and it was perhaps obvious he didn't trust the young entertainer as much as Veronica. "You sure about him?"

"I don't know what I'm sure about, but I have a feeling he might have a bigger role to play then even he might be aware of. Trust me."

"Whatever you say, Veronica. Something tells me that there are a lot of things about to change."

Veronica smiled. "Maybe now we can finally start living."

Balthazar returned the smile. "I'm in with you. I wouldn't have it any other way."

* * *

As you can probably tell, this story is nearing an end. There are only two more chapters to go after this one, and I hope that you all will be with me for the final journey, and whatever the future might bring. For the meantime, please read and review.

Next chapter: In the aftermath of the battle, a few loose threads have yet to be tied up, including the conflict that took place between the Morganians and the Merlineans, the fate of a former Morganian entertainer, and Dave's starting out on a whole new road of his own. He's a sorcerer, things will never be the same agian.


	32. Aftermath

Well, here are the last two chapters of The Never Ending Road. I hope that this marks a satisfactory ending for this story, as well as setting up any interest for the sequal. Please enjoy!

Aftermath:  
It was over. Morgana le Fey was defeated, The Rising had been averted and the world was safe for another day. Not a bad day's work for the Merlinean sorcerers in New York, and they had managed to do defeat the other Morganian soldiers who had felt the dark magic circulating in the city, and had tried to conduct a rebellion of their own. They had been driven back, and Roger Ventura hoped that it would be awhile before they tried anything.

Roger and several of the Merlineans had gone to battle that night. The cry from the eagles had alerted them that the conflict which had been threatening to break for weeks had occurred. There had been furious fighting in some parts of the city, and they had lost a few people. But Roger knew that they would have lost a lot more if the Morganians had managed to break through their lines and make it the nexus of the fighting which was occurring in Battery Park. That was where the heart of The Rising had taken place, and no doubt where Morgana would have summoned all of her followers had she succeeded. But, she had not.

Just when things were looking bad, as the Summoning Star was burning angrily in the skies above New York, all of the sorcerers had paused in their fight, and felt the cold chill of rising death all across the world. The Merlineans had felt it as the portent of their final doom, while the Morganians had inwardly celebrated that the fight would finally be won by their side.

The Merlineans had despaired for a moment, but Roger had rallied them to a final desperate push. They would perhaps be defeated, but they would not shrivel up and sulk off because of fear. They would at least die bravely. But just when they had geared themselves up for that final fight, something amazing had happened. The chill of death in the air mysteriously vanished. The Summoning Star's light began flickering wildly, and then went out completely. The back lash of dark magic was nearly deafening to the senses of all, and once more brought a pause in the fight.

The Rising, for some reason, had been aborted, its power cut off from an unknown source. This left things in a state that was by no means certain. The Merlineans had been granted a reprieve, but none of them had any idea how long it could last. Morgana could simply try to attempt The Rising again, and they would be no better off than they were now. Meanwhile, the Morganians had been puzzled. How could one as powerful as Morgana fail? They were not unduly concerned, but they were preparing for the worst all the same. Perhaps The Rising required more than one attempt. Perhaps Morgana, released as she had been from the Grimhold, did not have the strength yet to cast such a spell. The fight might have to drag out longer than they had first anticipated.

Both sides were preparing for a siege. Then, the final amazement had come. From the heart of Battery Park, there had come the violent clashing of two auras, one all darkness and fear, the other of purest light and goodness. The two sides had met in a spectacular collision that not even the least of magic users had been unable to sense it. The battle of magic was accompanied by bright sparks of lightening as plasma bolts had blasted off targets and exploded in brilliant fire. The power to nearly half the city went out, which only served to illuminate the great battle more.

That fire of bright aura against darkness battled for what seemed an eternity, with both sides holding their breath as to the outcome. For a split second, the tide wavered to the side of the dark, as that aura was more powerful and trained than the seemingly bright, though uncontrolled light. The Morganians felt hope rising in their hearts. Their great lady would win, they were sure of it. None could stand against her, least of all some pretender who seemed to think that he could challenge her.

Then, the unthinkable and impossible had occurred. The light won, not just from sheer strength of will and gift, but from a little help from science and the intelligence of his own brain. The darkness found itself trapped in a chain reaction, the electricity of the city's power drawing itself around her in an ever tightening loop. Added to this was the renewed assault of plasma bolts initiated by the light, round after round, again and again, until finally, the darkness could take no more. Little by little, her magic and her very body were destroyed, until finally, there was a brief burst of flame and shadow, before it died away completely.

For a split second, the magical world was silent and still from shock. Morgana le Fey had been defeated. It did not seem possible. Magic had been shook to its very core. Nothing like this had happened in millennia, ever since the final confrontation of Morgana and Merlin. Even that past conflict had ended in a draw, with neither side claiming victory, as Merlin had died and Morgana held in limbo. But this was different. Here there was a decisive victory, and the balance of power had shifted firmly into the side of the Merlineans.

As this realization came into the minds of the Morganians, the fight seemed to leave them. They still fought on, but it was with the desperate knowledge that they had been beaten, and they could not achieve a victory this day. The Merlineans rallied, and drove them back into hiding. That night, at last, the light had triumphed.

But, Roger's job still was not done. He had a lot of questions to ask, and the only way they could be answered was by going to Battery Park and facing the Prime Merlinean himself. So, once he was certain that some semblance of order had been restored to the city streets; he had taken a few other sorcerers with him to Battery Park. As they approached the site, the magical currents were still strong and active all around them. They didn't really know how the battle had ended, other than the fact that the Prime Merlinean had managed to succeed. They did not know the cost, though, if he or another had met their end in the final fight.

They also did not know if there were any henchmen still alive in the area, so Roger ordered his followers to establish a perimeter, and have their weapons and magic at the ready. Even so, they were very nearly caught by surprise when they heard a sound emanating from behind them. Roger had turned, his gun at the ready, when he had seen that it was only Balthazar and Veronica. "Careful where you point that thing, Roger." Said Balthazar, "You're going to give me a heart attack, and that's something my body could do without after what it has been through tonight."

Roger lowered his gun and hurried over to the pair. Veronica was supporting Balthazar, who looked weak and tired. Still, as far as he could tell, they both appeared to be uninjured. "Veronica, Balthazar, your survival is probably the best news I've had all night. What happened?"

"You mean before or after I died?" said Balthazar.

Roger stared at Balthazar. "What do you mean you died?"

"Stray plasma bolt from Morgana." Veronica explained, "Dave was able to bring him back."

"Dave? The Prime Merlinean?"

"The one and only." Said Balthazar, and the pride in his voice was obvious. He explained as much as he could, with a few interjections from Veronica, all that had occurred during the battle.

Roger wouldn't have believed the tale if the evidence had not been standing right before him, not to mention what he had felt that night. "That is truly extraordinary. He not only defeats Morgana, but still has enough strength left in him to bring you back to life, without hurting himself, and all without his ring. I always knew that the Prime Merlinean was powerful, but I never suspected, never dreamed that when he actually came along he would be capable of such feats. Where is he?"

Balthazar and Veronica exchanged looks, before Veronica said, "Well, judging by how well he guides the eagle, he's probably somewhere over Iceland by now."

"Iceland?"

"Well, he's not actually going to Iceland. He said something about taking his girlfriend out to breakfast in France." Said Balthazar, "The eagle is faster than the Concord, so he should get there without any trouble."

"And, of course, no one actually goes to France just for breakfast, so I don't think he will be back any time soon." Said Veronica, "I'd say that your eagle will be back by sunrise tomorrow."

Roger looked at the two of them, trying to tell if they were joking. "The Prime Merlinean manages to defeat the greatest evil that has ever threatened this world, resurrect his master in the same breath, and now he's off on a joy ride? Honestly, I think that this Dave might be as crazy as you two."

"In that case, you had better get used to him, Roger." Said Balthazar, "You might be seeing a lot more of him in the months to come."

* * *

Drake Stone was relieved to get home without any incident. He had barely managed to avoid running into a welcoming committee of Merlineans at Battery Park. True, they might not have shot him on sight, but he suspected that they would be happier to see Veronica and Balthazar alone rather then with him, so he had quietly slipped away, and made his way back to his apartment. He felt exhausted, though whether from the adrenaline of the night's events, or from having his magic sucked out of him, he didn't know which. All he wanted to do was just sleep for a week. He didn't really want to consider the questions that these last few days had brought up in his mind, though he suspected that they wouldn't be going away. But then, Drake always made better decisions when he wasn't feeling like death warmed over.

He didn't notice anything amiss when he first entered his apartment. Everything seemed to be in order. He was glad that the other Merlinean sorcerer (Michael, wasn't it?), had stopped by as they were on their way out and cleaned up the body of that creepy witch girl. Though he was sure that he could have done it himself, he wasn't a big fan of house cleaning and was quite willing to let someone else do the dirty work.

But, as he was coming into the main sitting room, the one which contained the Persian rug in the middle of the floor, he suddenly stopped. Something in here didn't seem right, all of a sudden. Looking around, he could see that the curtains from one of the windows had been torn off its rod, and that several of the decorative artifacts scattered around the room were in a state of unrest. There was also a thick metal chain lying on one side of the room. And above all this was the currents of magic woven into the very center of the rug itself, invisible to all but those who were looking for it.

Drake groaned once he recognized the pattern of the web of magic. He had never used it himself, but he had seen it a few times while he was flipping through the Incantus. A Persian Quick Rug spell, a trap that caused the rug to transform into what was essentially a quick sand trap, sucking whoever was unfortunate to trip the mechanism down to a gruesome death. Drake couldn't really imagine a more undignified death than drowning in a rug. What was more, he also knew that the Persian Quick Rug spell was extremely hard to undo. It would take him a couple days to correct it in his present state. Until then, he would have to be careful who came in here. How would he explain to the insurance company that one of the people who worked for him had mysteriously disappeared? Somehow he got the idea that death by rug wasn't something that would be believed.

"Thanks, Horvath." Drake muttered, "Just the sending off present I needed to remember you by."

The next moment, Drake was totally surprised when a voice answered him. "Quite perceptive of you to notice that trick. Most only find it after they have set if off. That's what happened to a colleague of mine a few hours ago. Luckily he was able to escape."

Drake whirled around, only to be confronted by the Merlinean sorcerer that he, Wonder Boy and that pretty blonde had run into when they had left to play hero at Battery Park. "What are you doing here?" Drake demanded, "I thought that you would be gone by now."

Michael shrugged. "I would have been, but when I sensed that Persian Quick Rug spell in this room, I decided to stick around, to make sure that you didn't do anything stupid." He waved his hand, and Drake, even in his magic-weakened state, sensed that in that simple movement, a complex spell which channeled a vast amount of energy. He looked back at the rug, only to see that the spell enchanting it had been removed.

He turned back to Michael, a shocked expression on his face, "How did you do that? A Persian Quick Rug spell shouldn't be that easy to get rid of."

"I happen to be a Master in the weaving and unweaving of entrapment spells of this kind. I have quite a lot of experience in that particular field, actually. The Persian Quick Rug is not one that I have seen for awhile, but not even it is the most complex spell I have ever seen."

Drake was too stunned to say anything for a moment, and then shook his head. He wasn't in the mood to contemplate the magic abilities of other people, not when his own were so depleted. "Well, if you're such an expert, why didn't you just get rid of it earlier, instead of having to wait for me?"

"I'm afraid that I have a weakness for performing in front of an audience for spells such as this." Said Michael, with an easy smile, "I think that you can agree that having an audience in certain circumstances can be a boost to the ego, and therefore your skills."

Drake couldn't believe he had just heard that. "You don't sound much like a Merlinean when you say that." he said.

"Well, perhaps not all Merlineans are as conservative as you think. And you are probably more liberal than most Morganians. It seems that you were involved in the successful conflict against Morgana, so I doubt that the Morganians will be counting you among their numbers, should they find out of your involvement."

Drake snorted. "Your concern is touching, but I can take care of myself. I'm not looking to join you club of goody-two shoes sorcerers."

"Big words coming from someone who just helped those same goody-two shoe sorcerers, on a mission that had no discernable advantage to himself, and might very well have ended in death. Those circumstances don't sound very Morganian at all."

"Look, what are you doing here, really? Are you trying to recruit me?"

Michael stared at him, the ghost of a smile playing at the corners of his moth. "I don't know, perhaps I just wanted to see what you were really made of, and if you are more promising than your upbringing prepared you to be. Perhaps there might be hope for you yet."

Drake tried to piece together this statement, but he was so tired that he really couldn't do it. "Can't you just be plain with me? Do you have to confuse me by talking in those Merlinean riddles? And you accuse us Morganians of being evil. You could confuse people to death just by talking."

"If you wanted to, you could understand them." said Michael, in yet another cryptic statement that made Drake want to scream, but before he could do so, Michael cut him off. "I can see however, this is not a good time for you. Perhaps when we meet again, we can talk more."

"And what makes you think I'll be seeing you again?"

"Call it a hunch."

"Well, I certainly wouldn't count on it. I really don't want to see you again."

Michael smiled, "Drake, sooner or later you'll have to see that what we want and what we need are often two completely different things. Depend upon it, I'll be seeing you."

Before Drake could say anything in reply, Michael had turned and was gone. Drake was left on his own for a moment, wondering what had just happened, and whether or not he should pay any attention to it. He finally dismissed the whole encounter as being merely a Merlinean eccentricity, and nothing that really had to do with him.

But, deep down, Drake knew that that wasn't the case. Despite all his protests to the contrary, he had started on a new path that night. And that Michael Harris would be a very big part of what was to come.


	33. Epilogue

Epilogue:  
Dawn was streaking the skyline of New York when Dave landed the eagle that he and Becky had been riding back on the Chrysler Building. Piloting the thing had actually proved to be easier than he had at first thought, and he even was starting to get the hang of landing. So, when the eagle landed, it wasn't so jarring that he and Becky fell in an undignified heap onto the observation deck, which had happened when they had landed on top of the Opera in Paris. Still the ending was a bit unsteady.

"Sorry about that." Said Dave, as Becky thumped into his back rather hard.

"Hey, don't worry about it." Said Becky, with a smile. "I've been on roller coasters that were rougher than this flight. And it was way more comfortable than flying coach all the way across the ocean, shorter too."

"So, you enjoyed yourself then?" said Dave.

"Dave, we just spent the last twenty-four hours gallivanting across Paris. Not many girls get to say that about their first date. Of course I had fun."

"Yeah, well, considering that I owed you one anyway, I figured that I should make it big. I can't promise that every date will be that exciting though. I really don't know what comes after this whole saving the world bit, but I expect that I can't just quit."

He had explained everything to Becky during their little day trip to France (breakfast had been such a success that when Becky had suggested that they make a day of it, he certainly hadn't objected. He had just defeated the greatest evil the world had ever known. He deserved a break). He had been surprised at just how easily Becky had accepted the news that magic really did exist, and that there were sorcerers in the world, some looking to destroy humanity and others to save it. She had accepted that this would not be a normal relationship by any means. However, she had also said that they didn't know what the future would bring, and she was willing to take things one day at a time if he wanted too. That had made him so happy he was pretty sure he could have flown back to New York on his power if he had needed to.

"I'll be here, Dave." Sad Becky with a smile, "Just promise me that you won't make me climb any high buildings by myself any time soon."

"Don't worry, I promise. Though, if I may say, you did handle yourself pretty well on the eagle."

Becky leaned a little closer to him, so that Dave caught the scent of her perfume and felt the softness of her hair, "That's because you're with me, and I know that you won't let me fall."

"Are you trying to get me to kiss you?" asked Dave.

"Yes, is it working?"

"I don't know. Come closer and let me find out."

Becky was all too happy to oblige. As the shared their second real kiss (well, second kiss in New York as they had kissed a few times in Paris), Dave knew that Becky was the one, and he would make her see that, if she didn't already. Balthazar had been right, again. It really did help to have someone special to fight for. And Becky was pretty special. If she believed him, Dave was sure that he could have found the strength to defeat Morgana a dozen times over. Fortunately, he didn't have to do that, which made it even better.

He would have certainly liked the moment to last a little longer, but then, his senses were jarred by an approaching magical aura. Dave suddenly broke away from Becky. "What's the matter?" asked Becky, seeing the sudden worried look that appeared on his face.

"We're not alone up here, Becky." Said Dave, in a whisper, "I don't recognize the aura. Stay behind me and don't make any sudden moves."

However, before Dave could have done anything that he would have regretted later, a new voice entered the conversation. "I'm glad to see that you have returned the eagle so promptly. Balthazar sometimes borrows it for days on end with no word of when he will be getting it back. It is quite annoying at times."

Dave and Becky now saw the African American man who had been hidden by the shadows of the balcony. Dave still kept Becky behind him, as he didn't know who this guy was, and he could still have been an enemy. The aura which clung to him was a powerful one, and Dave knew that he was dealing with a Master Sorcerer. However, the man held up his hands in a placating gesture, and said in a consolidating tone. "Hey, don't worry, Dave Stutler, I'm on your side."

"Should I be impressed that you know my name?" said Dave, "Who are you?"

Before the man could answer, Balthazar and Veronica appeared beside him, "Dave, he _is _on our side, you just haven't met him yet." Said Veronica.

"And where have you been?" said Balthazar, "Here I thought that you had been kidnapped by another Morganian sorcerer and you've been off gallivanting with your girlfriend."

"Yeah, I have actually." Said Dave, "And if I didn't know you any better, I'd say that you were worried."

Balthazar quirked his lips into his trade-mark grin. "Perhaps, just a little, but don't let it make you think that I'll be mollycoddling you, you still have a lot to learn, Dave. But tonight, you made me proud. I also owe you thanks, Veronica and I."

"You must include me in that number as well." Said the stranger, "If it had not been for the efforts of your apprentice, who knows how the events of this night might have turned out." He turned to Dave, and held out his hand. "I believe that I speak for everyone who follows me when I say, thank you. My name is Roger Ventura. I'm the High Sorcerer of New York."

Dave shook the outstretched hand tentatively, not really sure what he was supposed to say in response. "Um, you're welcome, I guess. Who did you say that you were?"

Roger looked at Balthazar and Veronica, "What have you been teaching this boy? You never even mentioned me or any of the others?"

"It never really came up," said Balthazar, "Dave, now that you've actually gone and saved the world, there will probably be a lot of people that you're going to be meeting. It's probably time that you learned that you aren't fighting alone."

"You didn't think that you were the only Merlinean in the world did you?" said Roger with a smile, "You've just become part of a much larger world, Dave Stutler, I hope that you're up for the challenge."

Dave looked at Roger, then he looked at Balthazar and Veronica, then his glance moved to Becky. She, out of all of them had the most right to be confused, but she was still smiling and nodding, her support for Dave still strong despite everything. Dave had to admit that he had never thought of himself as a hero, but if there was anything that recent events had taught him, it was always to expect the unexpected. Life was truly a never ending road, and he was ready to make his mark on the world, whatever it might be. And with so many people who supported him, Dave knew that he was finally not walking that road alone.

So, he smiled, and said, "You know, I think that I am ready to meet it. Bring it on."

* * *

And with that, I am pleased to say that this story is now finished. I hope that everyone who has read this story has enjoyed this reimagining of what is one of my favorite movies. As I have said, there is a sequal planned for this story in the near future, but it might not be up for a few months, as I want to sketch it out and have a rough draft before I start posting.

Thank you again for all of you who have read or favorited or dropped a review of this story. Your input really means a lot. So, for one last time, I ask that you would read and review. And hopefully, it won't be long before I'm back with a brand new story.


	34. SEQUAL ALERT!

Hello, readers. I know that it has been awhile since I posted anythig in the Sorcerer's Apprentice fandom, and I will admit that the delay was a little longer than I would have liked. However, I found myself suffering from an age old problem that all writers have had to contend with from the beginning of time: writer's block. I had a pretty severe case of it with this story, but I think that I managed to overcome that. I am hoping to post the first chapter of The Road Goes Ever On, the sequal to The Never Ending Road, in the next few days.

Before I did that, though, I wanted to post a little bit of information on it first. I am going to be giving a try to the Balthy 100 with this story. I can't say that the story will be 100 chapters long, as some adventurous writers on this site have done so well. But the prompts will be something of a structure.

That being said, I should also warn you that this is not going to be a necessarily conventional sequal. A lot of the sequals to the movie are very well written, and I have enjoyed all of those that I have read. However, they all seem to follow the same basic structure of Horvath comign back on the scene and trying to cause havoc in one way or another. Well, I am going to be upfront when I say that won't be the layout of this story.

Just to give you an idea of what to expect, here is a little list of what I am hoping to do. These aren't necessarily spoliers, but just little tidbits to whet the appetite, so to speak.

First of all, there will be characters who are not human. Specifically, I am going to be dealing a lot with the idea of vampires. Now, before you all unsubscribe, I should say that these aren't the vampires inspired by Stephanie Meyer. They are sort of a mix of a bunch of vampire stories that I have found, along with a few of my own ideas. For some reason, the idea of vampire mythology, if written or performed well, is kind of facinating to me. And I could see a lot of potiential in having two factions like vampires and sorcerers appearing in the same story as both allies and enemies. There will also be other supernatural characters that I will be exploring, like werewolves, fairies, nyads and dryads. We didn't really hear a lot of them in the movie, but they always seem integral to all of the fantasy that I have ever read, so I wanted to be able to explore a little bit of that as well.

Secondly, there isn't going to be a lot of Horvath in this story, more like a few cameos here and there. Though I thought that he was brilliantly portrayed in the movie by Alfred Molina, I wanted to bring in other bad guys, spcifically other Morganians. That is the one thing I thought was missing from the movie, purely for the sake of the story they were telling, as well as time and money issues, and that was the structure of the magical factions. There is going to be a lot of that in this sequal, both Morganian Circles and Morganian Sects/ Societies. We are going to see how they operate together, and how they come into conflict. In my mind, the sorcerer war could not have been fought over so long and so secretly without some form of organization. I am attempting my own narrative on that.

Finally, the characters we all know and love are going to be joined by many new ones, sometimes in very important ways. Former Morganians come under the tutelage of Merlineans who are not necessarily do-gooders all the time, those who thought they didn't have magic will discover they have a gift which they either have to pursue or bury, and people who have a very specific kind of magic must come to terms with where they belong and what they want from their talents. I won't be giving away anything other than that, but there will be a lot of twists and turns to be found in this story.

Anyway, that's where things stand. Hope that you are all with me for the long haul. Drop me a message to tell me what you think of these ideas. In just a few days, I will begin posting The Road Goes Ever On.

FantasyBard


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